Venetian blinds made of bamboo

Nov. 13: Guess what Portugal, Japan, Italy and France have in common in the context of the city? All these countries are going gaga over venetian blinds made of bamboo.

Orders are flowing in from these countries for city-based entrepreneurs. Fab India, the upmarket store that sells handlooms and furnishings, has evinced interest in the blinds produced by Vighnaraj, a city-based firm.

Another firm called Nabco India bagged the highest export order — worth $90,000 — for bamboo blinds and sheetal patti bags manufactured in the Northeast during the national handicrafts and gifts fair in New Delhi last month.

“The different combinations and threads are a hot favourite among foreigners, who are looking for something different,” Dipshikha Dowerah, who owns Vighnaraj, said.

The firm has already received a sample order for 200 bamboo window blinds from a Portugal-based company. Tarini, an upmarket retailer of Delhi, and their branch in Calcutta, Aavishkar, have ordered 20 sample blinds.

Birendra Nath Sarma, who was a garment manufacturer before turning to bamboo and cane, was selected by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts to showcase his products at the national handicrafts and gifts fair in the capital. “The council was impressed by the quality of my products and engaged a designer from Philippines to develop these further,” he said.

Filipino designer P.J. Arandon came to the city and gave tips to improve the products for the global market.

“The USP of these products is that they are eco-friendly. This is what attracts foreigners,” Sarma said.

Both Sarma and Dowerah were encouraged by the Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre in the city to improve their products. “The demand during the Delhi fair was so high that I could not accept an export order for a full container of bamboo windows for want of time,” Sarma said.

Dowerah said her firm had received enquiries from London, West Asia, Bangalore and Delhi. “I have already sent samples to these places and am planning to increase the number of looms to be able to cater to more clients.”

Both Tarini and Aavishkar anticipate a monthly requirement of at least 50 blinds for their outlets, which is encouraging news for entrepreneurs in the city. “There is a big domestic market for good-quality bamboo blinds,” Dowerah said.

The Northeast has the biggest concentration of cane and bamboo in the country. The raw stock of cane and bamboo in the region is estimated to be worth Rs 5,000 crore.

Experts in the sector believe business worth Rs 10,000 crore can be generated annually through value-addition schemes.