In a significant boost to Geographical Indication (GI) testing and certification, particularly for non-textile and languishing crafts, the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, today formally launched the GI QR Code Management System at its Quality Control Division (QCD) in Srinagar.

Following the NABL-accredited IICT and PTQCC laboratories, the QCD has become the third GI Lab in Jammu & Kashmir. It will now test and affix GI labels on a range of products including Wagguv, Gabba, felted Namdah, Walnut Wood Carving, Chain Stitch, Khatamband and Crewel.

The introduction of GI QR labels for fading crafts such as Wagguv and Namdah is expected to provide a major fillip to these traditional skills, enhancing their brand value in domestic and international markets. “This initiative marks an important expansion of GI certification beyond premier, high-value products such as Kashmir Pashmina, hand-knotted carpet, and Kani and Sozni embroidered shawls,” he added.

The Chief Minister had recently inaugurated the refurbished QCD Laboratory, which has been equipped with a High-Resolution Digital Microscope and other required paraphernalia. The upgradation was funded by the Ministry of Textiles under the National Handicrafts Development Programme as well as the UT Capex Budget. Until recently, the lab had been labelling only non-GI handmade products from Kashmir.

The GI QR labelling system will certify the authenticity of selected handmade products and help them capture the affordable market segment. It will complement the Department’s ongoing efforts in capacity building and improved packaging, with special focus on languishing crafts such as Namdah, Gabba and Wagguv that hold strong market potential both within and outside the Union Territory.

The Department has urged artisans, weavers, and other stakeholders to approach the QCD Laboratory to get their products labelled at nominal user charges, thereby adding much-needed brand value to Kashmir’s exquisite middle-segment handmade crafts.