Our Story

Kollegal originally called Kaulava derived its name from two hermits ‘Kauhala’ and ‘Galava’ who were instrumental in the development of the place. Kollegal town is the Taluk Head Quarters in Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka State and it is 140 kms away from Bangalore and only 60 kms away from Sathyamangalam of Tamil Nadu. Often known as the Silk City, Kollegal houses weavers whose expertise lie in weaving pure silk sarees and fabrics.

Silk weaving is the traditional and native occupation of Kollegal. Kollegal silk sarees are very unique for their design and originality. Kollegal is famous for reeling and twisting of Silk and produces its own raw silk. Most of the Silk Sarees are produced in pit looms. Devangas and Padmasalvis are the two major weaving communities engaged in silk weaving in the area.

Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in collaboration with Microsoft has conceptualized The Digital Cluster Development Programme to empower the artisans, weavers and entrepreneurs in Hanur village of Kollegal Taluk in Chamraj Nagara district of Karnataka state.

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Community Information and Resource Centre (CIRC):

CIRC’s of Kaulava are set up with computers, printers, scanners and all basic digital equipment together with Internet connectivity. CIRC spreads digital literacy and provides access to information-dark and marginalized communities. Setting up CIRC in Kollegal will help the weavers get empowered by exposing them to internet, new designs, market linkages; connecting them to both domestic and international market, helping them access the market, enhancing production according to the changing needs of domestic and international silk lovers and in long run, stay self-sustained.

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Digital Designing and Archiving

Digital intervention in design through CAD/CAM allows weavers to introduce modern touch to the traditional designs, ensure product diversification and global market access. It will also enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the weaver community. DCDP also aims at developing interest of the youth through digital literacy, modern designing techniques on computer, introducing new and fresh product range for Kollegal silk and other interventions so that youth migration can be reduced and more weavers can be prepared for the future. The traditional art can thus be preserved.

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Capacity Building and Skilling

Apart digital literacy and information, Kaulava also acts as an agent to build capacities of communities in the region. Numbers of workshops are organized at the center revolving around issues like menstrual health, skill development, environment consciousness in collaboration with other organizations and government bodies.

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Entrepreneurship Development

Believing in this philosophy of giving back to the community, Kaulava is dedicated not only towards benefiting the population of Kollegal through its organizational initiatives, but also towards encouraging the people for entrepreneurship and empowering them for true utilization of their skills for the betterment of society. With Kaulava, we are building capacities of weavers, artisans, craftsmen, farmers and many other small scale businesses to flourish. This platform of the weavers, for the weavers and by the weavers, is managed by a network of weavers’ self-help groups through a common platform. It is a social entrepreneurial initiative towards escalating the sustainability levels and livelihood of the weavers’ community.

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Wireless for Community

Wireless Network for Communities (W4C) provides last mile connectivity to people in Kaulava block enabling them to stay connected worldwide. Wireless specifically in weaving clusters provides weavers a scope to develop their businesses online through e-commerce and social media. It provides a platform for weavers to lift themselves from labors to entrepreneurs. Kaulava acts as a facilitator in transitioning skillful weavers from mere daily wage earners to self-dependent entrepreneurs through various means.

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Handloom Tourism

In Kollegal there is a small hill called ``Maradi Gudda`` which is located in the heart of the city. Kollegal is a beautiful place & famous for its segmented waterfall . This town splits the river into two streams (It is on the Kaveri River after the river has wound its way through the rocks and ravines of the Deccan Plateau and drops off to form waterfalls.)

Our Products

Silk weaving was the traditional and native occupation of Kollegal. Kollegal silk sarees are very unique for their design and originality. Kollegal Silk Sarees are basically Soft Silk. Most of the Silk Sarees are produced in pit looms.

Weavers are capable to weave with 240 hooks Jacquard for producing elaborate designs with solid colour pallu using Tie & Dye warp with “Reku Pulling Technique”. In general there are about 300 looms in the cluster.  In each village the weavers work in a group and each village has its own society. The society works for the collective development of the weaving community in the area.

Conscious Clothing

Every product is hand woven in weaving households of Kollegal, strengthening livelihoods of the weavers and protecting the age of old art of weaving.

Skillfully Crafted

The weavers in the region have been crafting loving fabric since time immemorial. One piece of fabric often requires 6 hours of labour and concentration.

Lovingly Hand woven

Looms are threads are sacred to weavers. Each piece of cloth woven has a personal story and lots of love.

Comfort and Quality

Woven with great care and eye for details, cottons and silks used are of highest quality, and colours used are safe, natural and skin friendly.

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