The story
Siricilla's weavers, many from the Padmashali community, shifted from handlooms to powerlooms from the 1970s. The town became Telangana's largest powerloom centre, making grey and polyester fabric sold through Surat and Bhiwandi traders. Weavers faced long periods of distress from low wages and debt. Government orders for school uniforms and festival sarees have since given the cluster more steady work.
In numbers
The Siricilla powerloom cluster had 390 functional units with a turnover of Rs 300 million and employment of 22,168 (2010-11 data).
Brief Industrial Profile of Karimnagar District (MSME-DI Hyderabad, DC-MSME) · 2011
Ways in for a newcomer
- Upgrade to shuttleless looms and take job-work orders
- Processing, dyeing and printing of grey fabric
- Garment and made-ups units using local fabric
- Yarn trading
Problems the cluster faces
- Obsolete shuttle looms
- Dependence on government orders
- Debt and private lenders
- Competition from Surat and Bhiwandi
Businesses to start here
Textile Made-Ups (Napkins, Mats, Aprons) →Towel Manufacturing →Bedsheet Weaving Unit (Power Loom) →Textile Printing (Screen Printing on Fabric) →