In the heart of Kashmir’s traditional handwoven carpet industry lies a centuries-old symbolic code known as Talim. However, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming this age-old process to speed up production and meet modern demands.
A single Kashmiri handwoven carpet takes up to six months to complete. Designers draw out the carpet design, then talim experts encode designs into small sections and send them for weaving. Local weavers meticulously followed these codes, knotting each thread according to colour and pattern.
Each section of the talim code only represents a small piece of the carpet. Hundreds of such codes are required to weave an entire carpet, with much back and forth between the designers and weavers. The process makes it difficult to spot mistakes and time-consuming to correct.
Use of AI in weaving
The latest computer software has streamlined this process, allowing weavers to complete a carpet in just six weeks. While weaving and knotting remain a manual craft, AI now handles the design and creation of talim code. This innovation not only accelerates production but also provides a holistic view of the design, enabling quick identification and rectification of potential errors.
Mehmood Shah, director of Handloom & Handicrafts for the government of Jammu and Kashmir, underscores that these innovations preserve the essence of artistic carpets while enhancing efficiency, reported the BBC.
Tech firms, such as International Virtual Assistance, are applying AI to decode talim instructions, promising faster manufacturing and customisation. Aby Mathew, COO at International Virtual Assistance, highlights the potential for weavers to experiment with new patterns and cater to contemporary tastes.
The AI system is trained to understand talim code by analysing images of carpets and corresponding talim instructions. Although human intervention is still required to write the code, AI promises to decode talim instructions for weavers, potentially revolutionising the industry.
Aditya Gupta, a leading carpet manufacturer and founder of Rug Republic, emphasises the necessity of innovation to stay competitive in a global market. “Innovation is important in every industry – without it, we die,” he says. He emphasizes the importance of blending traditional techniques with modern technology to create unique designs that defy replication by machines.
“The innovation now is oriented towards creating designs that cannot be copied by machines while still using traditional techniques.”
Rug Republic has implemented new technology for designing, washing, and drying carpets, alongside monitoring moisture levels. In addition to using traditional wool, they have explored alternative materials such as recycled denim, cotton, and leather in their experimentation.
GI tagging boosts carpet industry
In a bid to protect the authenticity of hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets, the government of India introduced a Geographical Identification (GI) tagging system in 2016. GI tags allow buyers to scan a QR code to verify details about the location of manufacturing, the name of the carpet designer and its crafting process.
The impact of GI tags was not just cultural but also economical. The GI tags helped revive the handwoven carpet industry which had been on a decline for decades. Today, the handwoven carpet industry employs around 50 thousand workers in Jammu and Kashmir. It produces rugs and carpets worth approximately £36m ($28m) annually, making it a vital part of the local economy.