While Salem cotton and Madurai sungudi products are regulars in the exhibit, Kutch block printed fabrics and Lucknow chikan embroidery work are in high demand owing to their lightweight and airy quality. 

While these are priced nominally, the more expensive fabrics are chanderi cotton from Madhya Pradesh, cath ka kadai needlework from Jammu and Kashmir, mangalgiri from Andhra Pradesh, jamdani from West Bengal and block prints from Rajasthan.

“Increasing temperatures in Chennai has pushed people to stick to cotton and they want to buy different styles and prints from other States,” reasoned Javed.

Identifying handloom fabrics to be in high demand, the Lucknow-based samiti has roped in some of the best weavers from across the country to sell fabrics at their exhibit here. The exhibition is on until March 17, between 10.30 am and 9 pm all the days.