Can barcodes stop fake Paithani saris? Designers and weavers weigh in on Maharashtra plan

Some say that existing safeguards, such as ‘Silk Mark’ and ‘Handloom Mark’ tags, are already frequently forged on counterfeit products, while paper or plastic barcodes attached to a sari can easily be detached or swapped.

Nivedita, a designer who works extensively with Paithani weavers for her heritage wedding collections, says the success of this initiative will depend on the robustness of its implementation.

“I wholeheartedly welcome the textile minister’s announcement on introducing barcode-based traceability for Paithani. ‘Paithani Sarees and Fabrics’ have been GI-registered since 2010. The new initiative, therefore, has the opportunity to take this existing geographical identity a significant step further by creating individual, verifiable traceability for each sari,” she says.

A Geographical Indication (GI) registration is a legal status given to products that come from a specific place and have special qualities linked to that location.

Yet, she flags several important questions. “I would love to see addressed at a policy level whether the final technology is a 1D barcode, QR code, RFID/NFC tag, or even a woven-in identifier, and whether it needs careful evaluation for durability, accessibility, scalability and tamper-proof authentication. Secondly, who will issue and authenticate each code? How will weavers and weaving clusters be registered?” she asks.

Moreover, how will the yarn, zari, place of manufacture and individual artisan be recorded, she asks.

“How will existing Paithanis be brought into the system? What will distinguish an authentic Paithani from a semi-Paithani or imitation? Who will maintain the database, and how will consumers access and verify this information?” she asks, adding that she would like to see these aspects considered to make the framework truly bulletproof.

“Done thoughtfully, this could become a landmark model for protecting India’s GI crafts and empowering the artisans behind them,” says Nivedita.

What a weaver says

Rizwan Quereshi, a fourth-generation weaver from Aurangabad, says there are many rip-offs of Paithani, including powerloom products made from polyester rather than silk. “The industry is being hit as a result of these fakes. While we welcome the minister’s desire to help the craft, we are not clear on how the government’s bar code initiative will function or how easy it will be for weavers to use,” he says.

Anagha Ghaisas of Saudamini Handloom, who is also a filmmaker, teacher and a supporter of textiles, is expected to speak to the minister about the bar code. “This is a positive step. All these years, no government has made an effort to protect the originality of Paithani and ensure that only pure Paithani reaches buyers. The minister’s announcement of having a bar code is welcome, though we need to understand the technical steps,” she says.

At the end of this year, Saudamini Handloom itself is taking a step to strengthen the Paithani industry. It will open a 100-handloom cluster and experiential centre by the waters of Manas Lake in Bugaon.

One of the best-known Paithani brands in the country, Paithanis by Mruga Kirloskar, was also an innovator and pioneer. Every Paithani sari by the exclusive designer Mruga Kirloskar features a running deer logo woven near the pallu.

“Having a barcode is a great step. But you can start with good intentions and find that some people misuse them. Ideally, the state’s focus should be on promoting the craft and educating the customers on how to detect authentic Paithani and how to buy it. It is important that buyers are educated in the qualities and value of Paithani,” says Kirloskar.