By IANS

November 28, 2023 (IANSlife) 'The Desi Oon Festival - Fibre of our Past and Future', dedicated to India's woollen heritage, returns for its 5th edition from December 7 to 11 at the Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi.

An initiative of the Desi Oon Hub, facilitated by the Centre for Pastoralism (CfP), it is a collaborative effort involving organizations from pastoral landscapes across the country that works closely with shepherds, knitters, felters, spinners, and weavers to integrate indigenous wool into our lives, homes, and wardrobes.

The central theme of this year’s festival is 'Waking up to the Wealth in Wool' which underscores the importance of recognizing the inherent value present in wool. A dedicated section of the festival will shine a spotlight on Desi Oon Hub members who are at the forefront of innovating, reviving, or building systems inspired by and in collaboration with the wool culture communities across India.

The festival will feature an array of installations, workshops, and demonstrations showcasing the artistry of wool. Additionally, a curated selection of woollen products produced by a network of 20 partner organizations will be available for purchase.

An informative section called Pastoral Voice will offer insight into the adaptive strategies, traditional knowledge systems, and the challenges faced by pastoralists in today’s changing times. An Industry Innovation and R&D section will showcase applications of indigenous wool, including its use as thermal insulation material in buildings, sound insulation, packaging, and grow bags. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore proof-of-concepts and prototypes that are currently in various stages of development. An artistic installation and interactive space will help the visitors to directly experience the remarkable properties of India's sheep wool.

Vasant Saberwal, Director of the Centre for Pastoralism, said, “India has the third-largest sheep population in the world, but ranks as the second largest importer of the wool. Over 80 per cent of indigenous wool is discarded because the industry prefers long staple, fine wool over the shorter staple, coarse wool produced in India. We focus on revitalizing indigenous wool-related crafts and promoting innovative uses of wool.”

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