Jaypore, an artisanal lifestyle label owned by Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL), set up a pop-up exhibit at Bharat Tex 2026 built around India’s slow-craft traditions. The centerpiece was a live demonstration of Tangaliya weaving, a centuries-old technique from Gujarat rarely seen outside its home region.
A Rare Craft on Display
Tangaliya is a roughly 700-year-old weaving practice native to the Surendranagar district of Gujarat. The craft is traditionally kept alive by the Dangasia community, who originally made heavy, warm shawls and wraps for Bharwad shepherds using the technique.
At the event, Rathod Baldevbhai Jahabhai, a fifth-generation weaver from Vastadi village, worked a traditional pit loom in front of visitors. He showed how the fabric’s signature raised dots, called danas, are created directly within the weave rather than added afterward through embroidery or printing. Baldevbhai learned the craft from his father, Jaha Bhai, over decades at the loom. He worked without any template or printed pattern, relying entirely on trained muscle memory. A single piece of Tangaliya cloth can take 15 to 25 days to complete.
Brand Perspective
Speaking about this experience, Vandana Gupta, Creative Head, Jaypore, said, “Tangaliya is a craft that gently commands you to slow down, to notice the quiet devotion resting within every single raised dot. Our journey with the weavers of Vastadi village began in 2024 out of deep reverence for master artisans like Jaha Bhai. Witnessing his son, Shri Rathod Baldevbhai, bring that generational muscle memory to the loom here at Bharat Tex epitomizes what Jaypore stands for. We view our brand not just as a curation, but as a vital, artisanal-first platform dedicated to bringing these incredible artisan clusters out of rural pockets and onto larger platforms. Our purpose is to honour this unbroken thread ensuring these rare, indigenous art forms are given the visibility they deserve to grow and find contemporary resonance, while remaining fiercely true to the hands that create them.”
Wider Showcase of Indian Crafts
Beyond Tangaliya, the pop-up featured a broader collection of Indian heritage crafts:
Jamdani, hand-loomed muslin from West Bengal known for its fine, weightless motifs. Ikat, a resist-dye weaving technique that produces blurred geometric patterns. Handwoven Textiles, a mix of regional weaving traditions from across the country. Ajrakh, Kutch’s multi-stage hand-block printing craft, marked by indigo and madder-red tones. Chikankari, Lucknow’s fine shadow-work embroidery. Dabu, Rajasthan’s mud-resist hand-block printing method. Kantha, Bengal’s running-stitch embroidery tradition tied to reuse and storytelling. Shibori, resist-dyeing techniques that create organic, textured patterns. Dokra, traditional lost-wax metal casting used for tribal and folk-art figurines.
Jaypore said the display reflects its ongoing partnerships with artisan clusters nationwide, aimed at preserving traditional techniques while helping them reach new audiences.
Jaypore positions itself as a destination brand for Indian artisanal apparel, jewelry, and home products, working with more than 30 craft traditions across its website and 47 stores in India. It is part of ABFRL’s ethnic-wear portfolio, alongside brands such as Tasva and the TCNS group of labels, within ABFRL’s larger retail network of over 1,150 stores across the country as of March 2025.
