Sikkim: Weavers to Benefit from German Technology

Guwahati: Andreas Moller, a German Weaver, has transferred his technology known as Flying 8 Loom to Handicrafts & Handloom development Corporation, artisans and weavers in Sikkim.

A total of 12 people, including carpenters and weavers, have been trained in Sikkim by him. While carpenters were trained by Moller to make the special loom, master weavers learnt to weave on the new loom and create designs in the ongoing project carried out by GIZ ( German Corporation for International Cooperation )Climate Change Adaptation Project in partnership with Union ministry of Development of North Eastern Region( DONER).

Master Trainers in Shillong, who have already been trained by Moller has would now start extensive training.

Moller who had developed the loom in his workshop in Hamburg. Speaking to, the media said, he would like to see self-dependent weavers. "The motive of behind doing all this is to make every weaver independent,''he said.

Ghansyam Kharel, Project Coordinator, GIZ Climate Change Adaptation is coordinating the training in the state.

Mr Kharel while informing about the project said that the project, which started on 17 September last, will be culminating on November 22.

“It is good for our state as most rural houses here are of small size. The weavers can install this type of loom in their respective houses. It can be operated manually and works without making noise. So we can say, it is absolutely pollution free," he said.

The name Flying 8 loom is derived from the 8 shafts and a flying shuttle that form its system.

One of the lady Master Trainers in the workshop, said, "The Flying 8 system is faster, with good speed. It's eco-friendly and best of all it does not lead to back pain. It occupies little space, which makes it perfect even for small houses."

The eco-friendly loom can be a useful means to empower the people of the state economically. The handloom, operated by one person, is low cost as it needs no power to run and it can be easily built by any carpenter because of its simple design. One can weave multiple designs on Flying 8 Loom.

The German trainer while talking about how he is assisting his students in creating a market for their products, said, His ex-student in Ethiopia has set up a towel making unit. In the absence of a marketing unit there, Moller is helping his student to market the towels too. He has also trained weavers and carpenters in Botswana, Switzerland and Holland too. He further said that weavers, in Sikkim, can use the loom to improve their income and quality of their produce.

Also Read: Sikkim: CM Announces Pension Scheme for Journalist