Home of India's first GI-tagged tribal textile, dyed with aal root and woven by hand.
Kotpad weaving is a slow, natural craft: cotton coloured with dye from the aal (Indian madder) root produces deep maroons, rich browns and blacks, with motifs drawn from tribal life. In 2005 it became India's first GI-tagged tribal textile.
Visiting the weaver families — seeing the pit looms, the dyeing and the finished saris and stoles — is one of the most rewarding craft experiences in Odisha, and buying direct keeps the tradition alive.
Highlights
- GI-tagged natural-dye weaving
- Meet the weaver families
- Aal-root reds & earthy tones
- Buy direct, fair-trade
Travel with respect
Buy directly from the weavers wherever you can — it puts a fair price in the hands of the people keeping this craft alive.