Staying anywhere in the world but want to get a feel of real Jharkhand's tussar silk? From now, shoppers can simply click on Amazon.

Global e-tail giant Amazon on Thursday formally announced its partnership with Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicrafts Development Corporation, popularly known as Jharcraft, at the inaugural session of the five-day Jharkhand Fashion Festival 2017 at BNR Chanakya Hotel in Ranchi. Now, Jharcraft products, including tussar silk garments, will be put up on the US website of Amazon's global selling programme.

A boost for Jharcraft, still the state's best-known brand but beset by losses recently, the tie-up will help 2 lakh silkworm rearers, 25,000 reelers and spinners and 60,000 weavers that it supports.

"The tie-up (with Amazon) will surely be helpful. A combination of human resources and nature's bounty will help Jharcraft become a global brand," said chief minister Raghubar Das while inaugurating the festival, who added that Jharkhand produced 82 per cent of India's total tussar silk.

Das also said the "formula of farm-fabric-fashion" would help take Jharcraft products to lucrative overseas markets.

"But, designing, manufacturing, branding and marketing have to be taken care of," he cautioned. "Products ko dikhane layak banana hoga (products have to be attractive)," he said, adding involvement of renowned designers would do that.

State industries director K. Ravikumar, also Jharcraft MD, said they were delighted with the partnership that would make Jharcraft products accessible to global buyers.

Abhijit Kamra, head of global selling, Amazon India, said they were excited to partner with Jharcraft.

"This will help weavers, artisans and designers in the state take their products to millions of active customers in the US," Kamra said. "We have 20,000 thousand sellers from India selling 4.5 crore products and Jharcraft with its good quality tussar will surely find takers in the outside world once we put it on the US website of our global selling programme," he added.

Other sellers at the meet also stressed on good-looking products, with cuts, finish, stitching and accessories.

"What looks good sells well," said Sharmistha Som of Calcutta-based Cupraa that sells clothing and accessories. "Jharkhand's tussar is unique and it can attract more buyers if farmers are organised, their products are given value addition and market linkage," added Bilal Ahmad Kabushar of Kashmiri Silk Producers' Cooperative Society.

An album of photographs of tussar sarees with motifs of terracotta temples of Maluti in Dumka was also released at the fashion festival that will comprise buyer-seller meets and exhibitions, including those by Shaina NC, Rina Dhaka, Shruti Sancheti, and Ambika Jain and Divya Kapur Bindra of Dabiri Couture, who have creatively interpreted the tussar.

The event will go on till May 29.

Will the Amazon tie-up help Jharcraft regain lost glory? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com