Meet the Presidents
WE GOT HOLD OF MADHU JAIN AND IN A FREEWHEELING CHAT, SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF MEETING THE US PRESIDENT AND HOW ECO-FRIENDLY TEXTILES ARE THE NEED OF THE HOUR.
It was an evening that Madhu Jain, India’s foremost crafts revivalist and textile conservationist, will always remember. Madhu was among the handpicked 90 invitees to the exclusive sit-down state banquet hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife in honour of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
Not least because this turned out to be the perfect platform for Jain to hold forth with both the US President and First Lady Melania Trump about her path-breaking textile; Bamboo-Silk Ikat which is the first 100% biodegradable textile of its kind in the world. A textile that has won her several awards, including the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017.
During the pre-dinner introduction with President Trump, Jain discussed her label’s focus on environmentallyfriendly fashion, to which the President responded positively, stating he hoped to see her sustainable textiles in America very soon and wished her every possible success.
Speaking to Madhu, she expresses that she was nervous when she met President Trump. she adds, “Even though the interaction was quite fleeting, as someone representing the Indian crafts space, I was determined to talk about my passion. I am a staunch believer in the overwhelming need for ecofriendly textiles and I spoke to him about that.”
“I noticed that he’s attentive to detail. It couldn’t have been easy to interact in quick succession with the invitees—all of whom were representatives of their particular profession—but I could see that he was absorbing everything,” Madhu further adds.
On asking what were her thoughts when the US President responded positively on Bamboo-Silk Ikat, she replies, “To be honest, I wasn’t really seeking ratification for the formidable talent that is present in the Indian crafts and textiles sector. But any positive response is welcome!”
Madhu’s strong environmental concerns led her to experiment with fibres that leave the smallest carbon footprint, right from sourcing to production. Bamboo yarn ticked all the right boxes!
“I am already doing further research on what other blends work best with bamboo yarn. I am also going to incorporate non-violent (ahimsa) Eri silk,” she shares.
“With global warming becoming a pressing issue, we must recognise the irresponsibility in not taking human and environmental impact into consideration in any production process, including the world of textiles and fashion. Which is why ecologically responsible textiles are the need of the hour,” she concludes.