Not your grandmother’s handloom: The designers, and Gen Z labels changing the craft forever

“When I was in design college, I saw how polluting the fashion industry was and wanted to combine two problems: textile waste management and handloom craft getting extinct,” says Singhal. “We brought traditional weavers in Delhi, who had left handloom long ago for jobs like plumbing or selling vegetables, back to the loom. The idea is to embody playfulness with more fashion-forward silhouettes. We work on a lot of kimonos which not only cater to the modern audience but can be shared within the family – like a mother can wear the same shirt as the daughter or as the son. There’s no trend-chasing here. The hory of the piece ensures it remains relevant.” How Gen Z is buying handloom onlineGen Z is widely recognised as the first purely digital-native generation, with over 75% using social media platforms like Instagram as their primary search engine for product discovery. For contemporary handloom labels, this digital migration has completely levelled the playing field, shifting discovery from traditional retail stores to curated online portals like Nete.in (”Not Everything To Everyone”). As a multi-designer platform, Nete bridges regional weaver clusters, from Imphal to Pondicherry, with young, trend-conscious shoppers looking for story-driven street style, especially when it comes to handloom. “NETE was created to make craftsmanship feel relevant to the modern wardrobe,” says founder Mariya Khanji. “We work with independent labels and makers who value thoughtful design, zero waste, responsible production, and small-batch manufacturing. When it comes to handlooms, we’re drawn to brands that make the craft feel effortless, modern and easy to wear. For us, handloom is less about nostalgia and more about continuity. When traditional weaving techniques evolve with contemporary design, they remain relevant, support skilled artisans, and become part of everyday dressing rather than something reserved for special occasions.”