Gopalpur Tussar Fabric of Odisha

Gopalpur is well-known for its Tussar silk fabrics. It is located in the Indian state of Odisha’s Jajpur District. The Government of India designated this handicraft as a Geographical Indication in 2009. Tussar textiles are similar to dhotis, jodas, shawl stoles, scarves, and sarees.

Drafting and crafting are the first steps in the process. Women usually help reel the tussar threads by keeping the ‘natai’ (wooden reel) in their right hand and unwinding the thread around the cocoons with their other hand. The weaver winds the yarns on the wooden ‘natai’ by twisting the filament.

Traditionally, embellishments are done by hand, but reeling machines are available. The embellishments enhance the fabric’s quality. Fabric is woven using a ‘cut shuttle technique,’ in which shuttles interlock in the weft direction to form foda kumbha. The foda kumbha pattern is copied for various productions using the Bandha (ikat) technique.