India’s famed Kashmir silk carpets get QR code based authentication
Categories: DAILY NEWS
Officials in India’s Jammu and Kashmir have rolled out QR code based process for the certification and labelling of authentic handmade silk carpets of the region, which are well known across the world for their craftsmanship and quality.The Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) in Srinagar has started labelling the famed carpets.The QR code will provide all the information like who made the carpet, where was it made, the manufacturer's name, the colours used, and pile height. “We have developed a QR code mechanism for carpets, the first of its type in the country. You can now get all the details about the carpet on your smartphone before buying the carpet. The weaver, the manufacturer, the quality, the specifications, knot per inch, raw material, pile height, and the district where it has been produced,” said Dr Zubair Ahmad, Director, IICT. “If a customer fails to scan the code, that person can check the authenticity by using the alphanumeric code on the label and search it on the website. It will provide all the details,” he added.The government has been working on QR code based certification for years.The process began in 2010, when the government applied for the geographical indication (GI) tagging of the Kashmir silk carpets. "Till now, we had no mechanism of certification, be it pashmina or Kashmir silk carpets. We started the GI tagging of pashmina many years ago, and now we have started the GI tagging of Kashmir Silk Carpets,” said Mehmood Shah, Director, Handloom and Handicrafts, Kashmir. “The customers can now verify the authenticity of the carpet before buying. We are hopeful that it will also benefit many artisans who had left the craft,” he added.Artisans, manufacturers will have to register themselves with the government before sending their products to the IICT for labelling.The response has been overwhelming as hundreds of carpets are pouring in at the institute.The government also plans to promote these QR code labelled carpets across the world, especially in countries like Europe, US, and the Gulf.