Sualkuchi, Nov. 16: Tradition is slowly but surely giving way to modernity in the Manchester of the East with its famous weavers getting over their mental block to embrace technology and churn out newer designs.

The results are there for everyone to see: the weavers? are getting more customers, both domestic and global.

The traditional manual method of designing is being pushed into oblivion, making way for a computer-aided process. Weavers are using this technology to create myriad motifs, designs and weaves in muga, Assam?s golden silk, to satisfy their customers across the continents.

?Gone are the days when a design would be drawn manually on a graph sheet. More and more weavers and entrepreneurs are now using computer-generated textile designs to cater to the changing preferences of their customers,? said Anup Barman, senior field assistant at the Sualkuchi-based Central Silk Board.

The process of designing now begins with an image being scanned, which is then filled with bitmaps and transferred to the punching card software. The weaver then creates the design on fabric.

?Things started changing after the introduction of the technology sometime ago. We were initially unsure about its efficacy, but it has become popular. Weavers are making a beeline for the Central Silk Board office to get computer-generated designs,? said entrepreneur Nayanmoni Choudhury, who owns Kameshwari Silk Factory.

Not only has technical knowhow eliminated the tedious process of manual designing, it has also paved the way for creation of intricate patterns and designs with a superior finish.

?The traditional process of designing is a very complex one. A person used to take around 15 days to prepare a design, something a computer can do within a few hours,? Barman said.

Apart from using technology extensively, weavers have become more innovative.

Entrepreneurs are encouraging them to use the traditional designs of different tribal communities on saris, mekhala-chador ensembles and muga jackets. Many such products are on display at the ongoing Sualkuchi Vastra Utsav ?05, organised by the Assam Apex Weavers and Artisans? Co-operative Federation Ltd (Artfed) at Sankar Kshetra.

Entrepreneur Bhabesh Kakoti said ethnic designs were the rage everywhere. ? We are catering to the worldwide demand for such products by using design patterns popular among tribal communities like the Miris, Karbis and Dimasas.?

Artfed has taken Kakoti?s creations to Japan and South Africa.