The Kanhirode Weavers Cooperative Society, situated 13 kilometres east of Kannur city on Kannur-Mattannur-Coorg road, is an ideal place for tourists to study and understand the nuances of making traditional handloom products.

The Society, which came into being in 1952, aims at the preservation of traditional skills and the upliftment of the traditional community of weavers. 

Unique destination
Kanhirode village, nestled amidst lush greenery, is adorned with vast stretches of paddy fields, swaying coconut palms, and dense rubber plantations. The tranquil ambiance is punctuated by the soothing sounds of nature, creating a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The village that houses the weaving facility wakes up to the clickety-clackety noise of the looms as the weaver changes shafts by operating the pedals.

Women Power
The cooperative, the first ISO 9001-2000 certified primary handloom co-operative society in the state, mainly produces high-quality cotton and silk fabrics, satin bedsheets, furnishing fabrics and made-ups, curtain materials, shirts, sarees as well as khadi fabric for domestic and export markets.

Nearly 500 workers, a large chunk of them women, are employed at the factory. The company ensures the economic freedom of the households around the locality. 

By fostering solidarity among weavers, promoting ethical practices, and engaging in community-focused initiatives, Kanhirode plays a crucial role in the socio-economic upliftment of their members and the broader community.

Weaving Techniques
The weaving techniques and designs employed here are passed down from generation to generation, contributing to the preservation of traditional skills. The looms used are often traditional wooden frame looms or pit looms, where the weaver manually operates the weaving process.

The cooperative uses looms with various width capacity, from 48-90 inches including five looms for silk. It has thirty stitching machines and two dehumidification rooms to keep the fabrics.

Natural dyes are traditionally preferred in Kanhirode for colouring textiles. Some common natural dyes used are: Turmeric, Indigo (Neel), Madder Root (Manjistha), leaves, barks, and minerals to create a range of colours - browns, blacks, and greys.

Land of looms and lores
Kannur is known as the “land of looms and lores.” For export of handloom products, Kerala mainly depends upon the products from Kannur, especially from Kanhirode. The main handloom production centres in Kannur are: Azhikode, Chirakkal, Kanhirode, Panoor, Kuthuparambu and Kalliasseri. There are 73 societies active in this district. With about 50 exporters in private sector, Kannur district together have, 13667 weavers working in the industry. The main products from these societies are coarser varieties with production slowly moving to the requirements of emerging consumer demand. 

As a unique tourist destination, visitors to this place have a lot to learn from the cooperative which exemplifies the cooperative model's potential to empower artisans, preserve cultural traditions, and contribute to sustainable development.  

By visiting this facility, tourists can directly see for themselves the basic weaving skills and traditional handloom techniques practiced by skilled artisans and enrich their experience about the weaving process. 

The unique experience will provide invaluable insights into the intricate process of creating handwoven colourful textiles, the artistry and craftsmanship of local weavers.