Khaddar Cotton Weaving in Beed: Gandhian Craft Heritage

Beed district has a tradition of khaddar (Khadi) cotton hand-spinning and weaving associated with the Gandhian movement's village economy programme. The Beed Khadi and Village Industries Board supports clusters of handspinners who use Ambar charkha (a multi-spindle wheel) to spin fine cotton yarn from local cotton. Weavers then produce khaddar cloth on handlooms, creating coarse but durable cotton fabric for garments. The khaddar production is largely maintained through government procurement and retailing through Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan outlets. Traditional Beed handloom weavers also produce cotton dhotis and sarees with coloured borders for local markets. The cotton from Beed's farms, though now predominantly Bt cotton, feeds into regional spinning mills rather than local handlooms. Integrating local farm cotton with local handspinning and weaving would close a sustainable production loop that Gandhian economists have advocated.