Chennai, Jun 17 (KNN)   In order to keep pace with the changing taste and requirement of consumers, the Ministry of Textiles has planned to get in more handloom and textile testing, weaving, processing machines and equipment here. 

In this regard, the Development Commissioner, handlooms invites bids from suppliers to provide various machinery and equipment relating to handloom textile testing, processing, computers and its peripherals, printers, CATD Software and other related items.

Among the textile equipment required in respect of weavers' service centres in south zone are digital tester; double yarn twist tester; wrap reel (digital)/ motorised; GSM cutter; washing fastness tester etc.

While for textiles, 36 pieces of equipment are required, made with latest technologies and specific features, for computers and peripherals 15 pieces of equipment are required, some of which are CATD software for textiles with Corel Draw, Photoshop and other related softwares; desktop computers; Canon Scanner A4 size; digital pen tablets (reputed brands) etc.   
        
Today, in Tamil Nadu, out of 4.27 lakh handlooms, 2.83 lakh handlooms are in the cooperative fold, producing about Rs 450 crore worth of handloom cloth.  All these weavers in the state have been organized through 1354 handloom weavers’ cooperative societies.

Since all these societies were scattered and were unable to market their handloom products individually, formation of a state level apex-marketing cooperative was considered necessary to market procured handloom products through the network of outlets in and outside of Tamil Nadu thus providing ensured marketing support. 

It is in this context, the Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society Limited, popularly known as “Cooptex” was established in 1935.

Besides, marketing of handloom products, Cooptex also procure yarn from 14 co-operative spinning mills of the state and also from the National Handlooms Development Corporation to supply to member societies.       

Cooptex is the largest apex handloom weavers’ cooperative society in India promoting handloom industry and the interest of cooperative weavers on a commercially viable manner.  

Its main functions are – supply of raw material (yarn), organization of production according to the needs and taste of market, procurement of stock from handloom weavers’ cooperative societies and marketing of those products through its effective network of shops throughout the country.  It also provides technical and financial help to weavers.

Various handloom products like silk sarees, cotton sarees, dhothies, lunghies, towels, shirtings, bedsheets, carpets etc.,  woven by  handloom  weavers in the state are procured by   Co-optex and marketed through 260   Co-optex showrooms spread all over India. (KNN)