Taking the loom route to explore historical weaves

Curated craft trails, immersive weaving and dyeing workshops offer travellers a deeper understanding of culture, heritage and slow luxury

- Sujata Assomull

This is the time of year when people look forward to travelling for leisure. While I am always more invested in all things fashion, my focus lately has shifted to more immersive travel.

In India, though, you don't have to choose between the two. The country's rich textile heritage allows you to combine your love for fashion with a meaningful travel experience. India makes 95% of handwoven textiles in the world. In other words, our weaving traditions are woven into the fabric of the Indian culture, offering journeys that are as enriching as they are beautiful.

In the past, I have visited pashmina ateliers in Srinagar, Ajrakh printing centres in Jaisalmer, chikankari centres in Lucknow and sari weaving clusters in Kanchipuram—but those were usually quick detours during work trips or stolen moments on a holiday. Now, I want to go deeper. And it is easier than you might think.

Homegrown boutique travel companies are now offering textile trails as part of their itineraries. One of them is Breakaway, founded by Shilpa Sharma, in 2011. Her textile trails span the country, from Gujarat and Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland.

“Each region offers something distinct—whether it's the vibrancy of Ajrakh and bandhej, or the intricacy of weaving traditions tucked away in village clusters across the country,” says Sharma, the co-founder of the crafts-focused brand Jaypore, and of Goa-based restaurant Mustard.

Over the past few years, Sharma has observed a steady rise in interest for textile-focused travel. “I think there's a larger cultural shift. We've seen that travellers are increasingly craving ‘meaning’, not just monuments. India's textile heritage offers a rich and tangible way to connect with memory, identity and place.”