Srinagar, Mar 10: On Amazon, a 5*7 carpet with a label of Kashmiri silk carpet is sold at Rs 5000.
Weavers, however, said that a typical silk carpet of the same size demands a labor cost of more than Rs one lakh.
This is how the valley-based artisans are battling the invasion by counterfeit carpets, branded as Kashmiri traditional carpets in the market.
The invasion is from both the online as well as the physical market.
With this, the Kashmiri carpet weavers and dealers are facing a growing challenge as counterfeit carpets flood the market, threatening the centuries-old heritage of handwoven Kashmiri carpets.
Artisans and traders are raising concerns over machine-made imitations, often falsely marketed as authentic Kashmiri handicrafts, leading to declining sales and loss of trust among buyers.
“While the government did a big favour to stakeholders by granting GI tag to the carpet, it has failed to keep a check on the entry and sale of counterfeit carpets. It needs to be safeguarded as both weavers as well as the dealers are suffering currently, ” said Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, a carpet dealer and exporter.
He said the sale of the counterfeit carpets was flourishing within the valley as well. “Tourists visiting the valley are being sold fake carpets in the name of handwoven traditional Kashmiri carpet. As a result, we are witnessing a decline in the number of dealers as well as artisans in the valley. The production too is declining,” Sheikh said.
As per the dealers, the counterfeit carpets, mostly imported or mass-produced elsewhere in India, are sold at lower prices, making it difficult for genuine Kashmiri weavers to compete. “These fake carpets lack the craftsmanship and quality of authentic Kashmiri hand-knotted rugs, yet unsuspecting buyers fall for them due to misleading labels,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a veteran carpet seller from Srinagar.
The issue has prompted calls for stricter enforcement of the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which was granted to Kashmiri carpets to protect their authenticity. Dealers are urging authorities to crack down on counterfeit sales and ensure clear labeling to distinguish genuine handwoven products from machine-made replicas.
Officials said they cracked down on sellers selling fake carpets regularly.
“Stern warnings have been issued to errant dealers to ensure compliance with quality standards. We have already confiscated several counterfeit products earlier this month. Our drive will continue to ensure that our artisans and sellers don’t suffer,” an official said.