Three days after authorities in Kashmir Valley recovered many machine-made carpets falsely marketed as authentic Kashmiri handmade carpets, the Geographical Registry has assigned a new logo for the Kashmir carpet to preserve its exclusiveness.
"In a major step aimed at safeguarding the genuineness of Kashmir Crafts and brand promotion, the Geographical Registry, Chennai, has assigned a new logo for the famed Kashmir Hand-Knotted Carpet under its Geographical Indication procedures", an official spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Government said.
GI logo is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
Director Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Nowshera, Srinagar, Zubair Ahmad, stated that a fresh registration certificate with a new logo has been issued by the Registrar of Geographical Indications, which is the competent authority for assigning such benchmarks. "The new logo will be given wide publicity so that exclusivity of hand-knotted Kashmir carpet is secured and buyers handed satisfaction of purchasing genuine hand-made Kashmir carpets," he added.
Kashmir crafts, which have a reputation for being amongst the very best in niche global markets, are in pursuit of securing GI registration for all categories.
Apart from hand-knotted carpets, six other crafts have already been GI registered which include Papier Mache, Kashmir Pashmina, Kani, Sozni, Khatamband, and Walnut Wood Carving.
Campaign launched against shopkeepers selling machine-made carpets
On Tuesday the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, in Kashmir has launched a campaign against shopkeepers selling counterfeited machine-made carpets by falsely marketing the same as authentic hand-made Kashmir carpets.
This campaign was launched in response to growing complaints from buyers and tourists about the sale of machine-made carpets from outside the region which are being falsely marketed as authentic Kashmiri handmade carpets.
Several counterfeit products were confiscated and stern warnings were issued to errant dealers to ensure compliance with quality standards.
During the inspection, the team discovered stocks of Turkish and Iranian carpets, some of which were unlabelled or partially labeled.
According to the official spokesperson of the government, such practices mislead consumers about the origin and nature of the products, constituting a violation of fair trade practices.
The dealers found in violation of the Tourist Trade and Quality Control Acts would be issued warnings and advised to ensure all products are properly labeled as per prescribed specifications.
"This includes clearly distinguishing between the machine-made carpets and authentic Kashmir hand-knotted carpets," the spokesperson said.
The Handicrafts and Handloom Department, while reiterating its commitment to maintaining transparency and safeguarding consumer interest, has further emphasized the department's commitment to upholding the integrity of Kashmir's handicrafts sector.
