The Arunachal textile revival: from Apatani shawls to a hill-state brand

Arunachal Pradesh’s 26 major tribes weave at least as many distinct textile traditions — from the Apatani’s striped shawls to the Monpa’s yak-wool weaves.

A state programme is consolidating them under a single brand, with quality standards, design registries and a festival of weavers.

The aim is pride as much as profit: ‘Our tribes have never been one people, but their cloth has always been one country.’