Vajira Peiris, who is involved in the handloom industry, introduced a user-friendly tabletop loom recently.
Peiris said that it would open the avenues for anyone to start a home business or go for a small scale commercial entity.
She and the team introduced their tabletop loom recently in Colombo and had two sessions of demonstrations on how it can be used and how to create a fabric that is handloom.
Peiris who is an entrepreneur seeking creative engineering solutions to the craft industry said that the machine can be used at a factory, workshop, university, school, or even at a residence.
She said that the machine can weave cushion covers, scarfs, tablecloths, table mats, coasters, bed linen and accessories, children’s clothing, handloom for toys and many other items.
She said that it has many specialties such as the capacity to design colours as one wishes, yarns other than the potential market. “It is a fully functioning table loom. It is foldable,” Peiris said.
She is also a fashion and textile designer and trained weaver herself and a lecturer at Nottingham-Trent University, United Kingdom.
She produces modern looms for design students and trains weavers across the country in new techniques and the use of colour while running her business entity “Peiris Leather Studio”.
She said that her team will further engage in developing innovative weaving looms for different sectors of the weaving industry after many years of research. “Our intention while upgrading the craft and textile industry in Sri Lanka is to provide manufacturing solutions to the industry while preserving the traditional handy craft values. We are here to support and uplift the industry in terms of design, manufacture, and value addition for the local and export markets,” she said.