Handloom weaves at half the cost!

APCO puts up month-long exhibition at Cooperative Employees NGO’s Home. People should not think twice to splurge on handloom weaves as it will not only encourage the fading traditional art but also enhance the livelihood of the weavers.

Shoppers minutely inspect the silk sarees put up for sale at one of the counters at Cooperative Employees NGO's Home as part of the month-long exhibition-cum-sale of APCO in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

For those who wish to invest in assorted hand woven fabrics and traditional weaves this festive season, the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society (APCO) has come up with a flat 50 per cent on all products that are put up at Cooperative Employees NGO’s Home.

The striking hues, combined with bright prints, offer a perfect choice for those who wish to buy silk saris at half the cost.

Uppada, Gadwal, Pochampalli, Dharmavaram, Ikkat traditional silks, and Narayanpet saris are some of the all-time favourite picks that are on offer.

With more than 20,000 saris, a selection of bedspreads, towels, and cotton shirts stacked in racks,

APCO aims at pushing up its sale to Rs.1.5 crore as compared to Rs.1 crore earned last year.

Inaugurating the month-long exhibition here on Friday, GVMC Additional Commissioner G.V.V.S Murthy said: “People should not think twice to splurge on handloom weaves as it will not only encourage the fading traditional art but also enhance the livelihood of the weavers. Keeping this in view, we encourage our employees to opt for handloom fabrics and promote the art to the extent possible.”

M. Satyanarayana, district board director of APCO and its inspecting officer B.V. Ramana said the discount can be availed only at the month-long exhibition, which is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.