Mayor Inaugurates FLO Style Tatva, a nearly 100% Plastic Free Lifestyle Exhibition

Hyderabad, July 22: FLO’s signature event, Styletatva, Edition 3, the Bahubali of all Fashion and Lifestyle Exhibitions kicked off today in the city at Hitex. It is a two-day exhibition. It is open from 10 am to 8 pm.

The show is used as an opportunity to talk and voice out for Telia Rumals, a dying craft form. It may not be out of place to remind here that FLO has adopted this craft this year. Be it Heritage Benarsis, Intricate Batiks, Rare Patolas , Classic Korvai Kanchis, Glittering Gadwals, Artisanal Chikankari, Elegant Kalamkaris Style Tatva has all. Ritu Saha, Chairperson of FLO said.

Mayor of Hyderabad, Smt. Vijayalakshmi Gadwal was inaugurated by lighting the lamp and cutting the ribbon. Smt Sudha Shivkumar, FLO National President; Smt. Shikha Goel and Addl DGP too joined in the inauguration.

Speaking on the occasion Mayor Vijayalakshmi said it is a big event, an event with differences that focuses on green initiatives. The welfare of people and the planet is more important now than anything else. I appreciate the team-style tattva led by Ritu Shah for sustainable initiatives. I have a close association with FLO and I saw them championing many causes. This is being organized for empowering women and women-owned businesses. FLO, which is hosting this show with the theme of sustainability, has displayed the theme very well. It has also given place to weavers showing their commitment.

Smt Sudha Shivkumar said that it was an impressive show as its theme is sustainability, the need of the hour. FLO, which is part of G-20 offers two platforms. One is mentorship for women and two is tech equity.

Speaking on the occasion Smt Shikha Goel said lifestyle and fashion events are common in metros. But what makes Style Tatva different is its leadership and thought. The theme is apt. Sustainability is now not just a buzzword but a survival mantra. Now we are experiencing global warming, erratic climate, and sudden floods. Because of global warming, the world temperature has gone up by 1.2 degrees. Today the world needs sustainable fashion that consumes less water and energy. She asked all the fashion designers to work on making sustainable fashion affordable., which is currently not.

Ritu Shah, FLO Hyderabad Chairperson said the show is a four-month hard work. We have a special initiatives pavilion, Telia Rumal, a unique Textile craft. It is a forgotten handloom tradition. We are working on extending support to them. The challenges and concerns of Telia Rumal weavers were taken to the Government of Telangana. The Government granted rupees thirty lakhs for a project to enhance the income of weavers of the region, she said.

A special pavilion is created to generate visibility and highlight Telia Rumal, a historical craft. The weave is said to have been patronized once by the Hyderabad aristocracies. It originates from Telangana and is characterized by its intricate designs and the use of natural dyes, particularly the process of oil-based resist dyeing. The craft has historical significance and is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Telangana.

This year FLO Hyderabad is making all-out efforts to bring back this traditional craft, which had seen a decline in recent years. We have been working closely with the weavers of Puttapaka village providing skill development programs, design interventions, and creating avenues for collaborations with mainstream designers. The aim is to preserve the traditional techniques, revitalize the knowledge and skills associated with Telia Rumal, and ensure the sustainability of the craft. We are setting up a loom to provide a unique and immersive experience for visitors to appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship involved in weaving, and to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and technological aspects of this ancient craft.

Mr. Bhaskar, Sarpanch of Puttapaka village which is the center for Telia Rumal craft said Puttapaka and Koyyalgudem two villages are involved in the craft. Together they produce Telia Rumal Fabric worth Rs 5 crore a month. But, they don’t have buyers. What they need is marketing help, design intervention, online promotion, and financial support from the government in terms of interest-free loans. Nearly 1000 families depend on this dying craft he said.

Style Tatva Edition 3 is a fashion and lifestyle show. Entry to the show is through a nominal fee of Rs 100/-. It is spread over 45000 ft, it has 240 stalls. The organizers are expecting a footfall of 10,000 to 12,000 in the two days put together. It is nearly a 100% plastic-free exhibition. Flexes were shunned and only cloth banners were used.

Exhibitor badges(paper), lanyards (cotton—cotton ribbon and handmade paper), water bottles(reusable), shopping bags(cotton—reusable canvas bags), invitations(handmade paper), entry tickets(compostable paper with eco-friendly ink) all used in the exhibition are made from sustainable material.

The pencils and pens were made with banana fiber by mentally challenged adults all. Small changes can make a huge difference. For instance, if you laid all the plastic pens thrown away someday, they would wrap the earth. Plastic pens can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the material and structure, said Ritu Shah.

It is nearly a 100% Plastic Free Exhibition. Visitors are given away saplings. Over 5000 saplings are to be given away, shared Ritu Shah

We have also allocated stall spaces in the pavilion for FLO-promoted entrepreneurs and grassroots women-led businesses. Further details on stalls and promotions will be elaborated by co-convenor Ritu Agarwal.