The sale, launched on the eve of the Deepavali festival, features a wide range of handloom goods including silk and cotton sarees, cotton dhotis and bedsheets, with new designs aimed at younger buyers.
The Tamil Nadu state government is backing the promotion of handloom textiles by subsidising the 30% discount on silk and cotton handloom varieties, while powerloom items receive a 20% price cut.
Virudhunagar district hosts three Cooptex showrooms – in Virudhunagar, Sivakasi and Srivilliputtur – and the Deepavali sales target for the district has been set at ₹1.54 crore. Sales to date this year total ₹1.26 crore.
Cooptex, founded in 1935 as a cooperative society for handloom weavers, has grown into a large cooperative association with 146 showrooms across the country over the past 90 years, blending traditional and modern designs.
The collector urged the public, students and government employees to purchase from Cooptex to support weavers’ livelihoods, noting that the cooperative also sells its products online via www.cooptex.gov.in.
Cooptex officials present at the inauguration included Regional Manager Chandrasekaran, Deputy Manager Deepa and Showroom Manager Geetha, who highlighted the cooperative’s commitment to expanding market access for handloom artisans.