There is a tradition of handloom weaving in the K.V.Kuppam area and most of it takes place in the home. It is done on very rustic wooden looms in people’s houses or sometimes in workplaces arranged by one of the weaver’s cooperatives in the village. The Tamil Nadu government sets the price per metre of handloom cotton but the system is dominated by the Master Weavers, whether the weaving group is privately run or is a co-operative, and the individual weavers receive a very low wage. The whole family usually gets involved helping unravel the threads and winding bobbins and so on. It takes a whole day to weave 2 metres of cloth. Since 2006 the Indian Central Government has been encouraging the formation of Self Help Groups and some local weavers have recently started groups which are supported with direct orders from Bishopston Trading Company. Some tailors also work from home charging a small fee for making up clients’ fabric into sari blouses etc.

Beedi rolling is fairly self explanatory- the factory sends tendu leaves and tobacco to the home worker who rolls the beedis, ties with cotton and sends them back to the factory to be dried out. This is very low paid work and home workers are dependent on a regular supply of leaves and tobacco, which does not always happen.

Fitting matchsticks into frames, as part of the match making process, requires nimble fingers and all the family will help at various times during the day. The rate paid by the factory is less than 2 rupees per frame.

Another local cottage industry is coir rope making. Coir comes from the coconut husk and families work with basic equipment to produce rope which is sold locally. The coconut tree has many uses and every part of the tree can be used in some way.

Balaji takes a day to weave 2 metres of cloth. He has recently joined a weaver’s self help group.

Balaji's mother helps out winding bobbins.

Beedi rolling pays about fifty rupees a day.

Part of the match making process is done at home before the matches are returned to factory for dipping in chemicals.

Coir rope making is another cottage industry. Whole families work together.

Amudha charges 12 to 15 rupees to make a sari blouse.

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