Purpose: The goal of this research is to examine weavers' opinions and the economic challenges they face in the handloom production system in Tamil Nadu. The study explores how factors such as rising production costs, limited access to finance, outdated technology and government policies affects the sustainability of handloom activities. It also aims to better understand weavers' working conditions, their perspectives on industry developments, and the socio-economic constraints that impact their livelihoods.

Designs/methodology/approach: The study adopts an exploratory and descriptive research design. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and personal interviews with handloom weavers and other stakeholders in key weaving clusters of Tamil Nadu including Kanchipuram, Salem, Madurai, and Erode. To ensure representativeness a stratified random sampling method was used. Secondary data were obtained from government reports, academic journals and textile industry publications. Quantitative data were analysed using statistical methods, while qualitative data were interpreted thematically to identify common patterns and insights.