Portable Wooden Handloom
Being a carpenter, Gulab Dass used to make big handloom machines for making shawls and pattu etc. This developed interest in the art of weaving, which he learnt in sometime. While weaving on his big handloom, he thought about making a portable one so that it is easier to us, even for the women and disabled persons. His machine is made of wood and can weave woollen borders for caps, clothes etc. Gulab Dass claims to have sold over four hundred portable looms in the last many years.
Their portable loom is made out of wood and has a locking mechanism for tightening the woollen material. The movable shaft facilitates easy weaving. The loom is of small size and hence can be used anywhere. It is easy to carry and keep safely as well. On an average, minimum one meter of border can be woven on the portable loom in one day. The loom is quite durable as both Anup Ram and Gulab Dass have been using the same loom for about two decades now.
With this mini loom, an ordinary person without specialised skills can also spin handloom anywhere any time after some practice. This loom has all the components of a regular loom but is compact and completely hand operated as compared to the hand & leg operated huge weaving looms.
Anup Ram (43) and Gulab Dass (59) both are carpenters by profession. They have developed a portable wooden handloom, which is easy use, store and carry. Most kinds of handloom weaving done in the Kullu region can be undertaken on these handlooms.
Living with his wife and three daughters, Anup Ram also engages in farming. He learnt carpentry observing other local carpenters in his village. Gulab Dass lives with his wife, two sons and their families in a joint family.
The Kullu caps are weaved on a big handloom, which occupies a lot of space. Although this big weaving loom can produce 5 stripes for hats in 45minutes, it needs skilled worker to operate. To address this issue, Anup Ram developed his first mini loom about eighteen years ago. His mini loom could produce 2 stripes of caps in 30 minutes. Using this mini loom, one can spin handloom anywhere anytime ever with lesser skills. He claims to have sold about thirty looms in the Kullu district.