Every year on August 7, India celebrates National Handloom Day, which was established by the Union Government in 2015 to promote understanding of the handloom heritage, empower the handloom weavers and workers financially and instill pride in their handloom craftsmanship.

This year the Ministry of Textiles is coordinating the 9th National Handloom Day, which is celebrated across 28 Weavers' Service Centres in the country, as well as 16 National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campuses.

On the occasion let's take a look at the prominent handloom fabrics from various parts of the country:

Kanjeevaram silk - Tamil Nadu

Kanjeevaram Silk Saree from Tamil Nadu (Image - Wikipedia)

With roots in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, the Kanjeevaram Silk fabric is one of the most expensive handmade silk fabrics in the market. The sarees which take anything from upto 12 days to six months to weave are laden with gold and zari work.

Chanderi- Madhya Pradesh

Chanderi Fabric from Madhya Pradesh (Image - Wikipedia)

It is a traditional weave that appears in numerous Hindu mythical literature. There are three sorts of chanderi fabrics: silk, cotton, and silk and cotton. It is also known as 'woven air' due to its light and thin texture.

Muga Silk - Assam

Muga Silk from Assam (Image - Wikipedia)

Sometimes known as the "golden fibre," it is produced only in Assam.
This silk has a very fine texture and a high durability, and it is naturally yellow in colour. This fabric is machine washable, and the sheen of the cloth improves with each wash. Muga silk is used to make the traditional Assamese women's clothing, called mekhela-chador.

Bandhani - Gujarat

Bandhani Silk from Gujarat (Image - wikipedia)

It is a tie and dye fabric that comes in vivid colours such as yellow, red, blue, and black. This fabric is created by the Gujarati Khatri community. The distinguishing feature of Bandhani are light or white-colored dots in a variety of patterns and motifs.

Kosa Silk - Chattisgarh

Kosa silk from Chattisgarh (Image - Wikipedia)

The Sanskrit word for Desi Tussar silk sarees is Kosa silk sarees.
Kosa silk is more durable than pure silk and is made from silkworm cocoons found in Sal and Arjun trees. It takes five days to make a single saree. In Chattisgarh, Champa and Korba manufacture the most Kosa silk.