Bhubaneswar, April 12: Weavers of the traditional Sambalpuri saris can now sell their products online without any intermediary entities.

E-commerce giant Amazon India has tied-up with weavers of Sonepur district, the hub of the hand-woven fabric, in an attempt to broaden the customer base for the fabric along with providing the weavers employment opportunities.

"The influx of foreign tourists that come to the state each year has given a good exposure to our handloom products in those countries. They always ask if we have franchises in their countries and we have to always reply in the negative," said Suryanarayan Sahu, deputy director of textile, Sonepur.

"With online shopping growing in popularity these days, we feel this would be an effective way to widen our reach," he said. The e-commerce giant hosted a workshop in the district yesterday to train the weavers on how to put up their products on the website, including listing the items, getting orders and shipping procedures.

"The training will help them understand ways in which they can make their products visible on the website and also learn about how being listed on Amazon will be of help to them. We feel the step will help the weavers," said Amazon India representative Niraj Kumar Mehta.

The Sambalpuri sari, which had received the geographical indication (GI) tag in 2012, is a symbol of tradition, culture and intricate technique. These saris are known for their incorporation of traditional motifs, inlcuding shankha (conch shell), chakra (wheel), phula (flower), which have deep symbolism. But the unique selling point of these saris is the traditional craftsmanship of the bandhakala, the tie-dye art reflected in the intricate weaves.

"With the adoption of new technology, we can get the right price for our efforts. Independent weavers have to market their product themselves by travelling to big cities. The others, who are not financially sound on the other hand, have to depend on the sahukars (middlemen) who exploit them. With the online process in place, there is a ray of hope for us," said Nityanand Meher, a traditional weaver.

The state government has also undertaken a number of initiatives to promote online sales. They have tied up with eBay, Snapdeal and Indiamart to sell the products. A number of young entrepreneurs and private organisations are also promoting the online sale of the state's handloom and handicraft products.