Looms of Ladakh: The Powerful Movement Led by One Woman to Empower an Entire Community

In the high-altitude deserts of Ladakh, where the air is thin and the landscape stark, a quiet revolution is unfolding. Amid the rugged peaks of the Changthang plateau, where temperatures plummet and life is shaped by the rhythm of nature, a cooperative movement is redefining luxury, empowering women, and preserving a cultural legacy. At the heart of this transformation is Looms of Ladakh, a women-led, herder-artisan cooperative that has become a beacon of hope and dignity for over 427 women across 16 villages. The driving force behind this movement is Abhilasha Bahuguna, a visionary whose journey from policy researcher to founder of a global luxury brand is as inspiring as the textiles her cooperative creates.

The Genesis of a Vision

Abhilasha Bahuguna’s journey with Looms of Ladakh began not in the mountains of Ladakh but in the bustling markets of Delhi’s Dilli Haat, where she and her then-fiancé, Prasanna Ramaswamy G, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, would marvel at the intricate pashmina shawls on display. It was 2013, and Abhilasha, armed with a degree in socioeconomic policy from Tilburg University in the Netherlands and experience at a Dutch policy think tank, was struck by a glaring injustice: the artisans who crafted the world-renowned pashmina, sourced from the Changthangi goats of Ladakh’s Changthang region, were reaping little reward for their labor.

While pashmina shawls fetched exorbitant prices in global markets, the Changpa herders and weavers, living in one of the harshest environments on Earth, remained on the margins of the cashmere industry’s prosperity.

This realization planted the seed for Looms of Ladakh. Abhilasha envisioned a model where the artisans, primarily women from remote Ladakhi villages, would not just be laborers but owners of their craft and its value chain. “The thought gnawed at me—how could those whose hands brought these luxury products to life see so little of the reward?” she later reflected. Her vision was clear: to create a sustainable, democratic institution that would empower these women, preserve Ladakh’s textile heritage, and position its pashmina, yak, sheep, and camel wool as a global luxury brand.

A Serendipitous Partnership

The turning point came in 2015 when Prasanna, posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Leh, encountered a self-help group of women in Chumur, a remote village near the Indo-China border at 4,900 meters above sea level. These women, part of the Changpa nomadic community, displayed their handwoven woolen products, hoping for modest sales. Their resilience in such a challenging terrain moved Prasanna, who saw an opportunity to amplify their efforts through structured support. He initiated Project Laksal, a skill development program that trained 150 women in knitting, laying the foundation for what would become Looms of Ladakh.

Abhilasha and Prasanna, who married in 2016 and held a traditional Ladakhi Buddhist wedding in 2017, combined their complementary strengths—her policy expertise and passion for social justice, and his administrative acumen and grassroots insight. In 2017, they co-founded Looms of Ladakh as a cooperative, a “farm-to-fashion” model that ensured artisans were involved in every step, from procuring raw wool to designing and selling luxury products. The cooperative was not just a business but a movement to restore dignity, financial independence, and cultural pride to the Changpa women.

Overcoming Obstacles in a Harsh Land

The path to building Looms of Ladakh was fraught with challenges. Ladakh’s geography—isolated villages, extreme weather, and altitudes ranging from 9,000 to 17,000 feet—posed logistical nightmares. Production centers were scattered across vast distances, and the lack of textile clusters, unlike in other parts of India, meant skills like weaving and knitting were passed down informally, often for personal use rather than commercial gain. Moreover, when the cooperative was registered in 2017, it faced local resistance and bureaucratic hurdles. For four years, Abhilasha and her team ran Looms of Ladakh without external funding, relying on their own resources and the determination of the women artisans.

Abhilasha’s approach was rooted in empowerment through ownership. She insisted that the cooperative be artisan-led, with elected office bearers and a democratic structure. Women like Shakeela Bano, a cashier and elected artisan leader, became symbols of this transformation. “Looms of Ladakh has members from the China border in eastern Ladakh to Kargil near the Pakistan border,” Shakeela proudly notes. “Women should step out of their homes, join us, and hone their natural skills.” The cooperative provided training in natural dyeing, weaving, and garment production, blending traditional knowledge with modern techniques to create high-quality products that could compete globally.

A Farm-to-Fashion Revolution

Looms of Ladakh’s “farm-to-fashion” model is a masterclass in sustainability and ethical production. The cooperative sources its raw materials—pashmina, yak, sheep, and Bactrian camel wool—directly from the Changpa herders, ensuring they benefit from the value chain. Pashmina, derived from the Changthangi goat, is one of the world’s finest fibers, with a diameter of 12-15 microns, comparable to the ultra-luxurious vicuña wool. A single pashmina shawl, weighing just 150-170 grams, can pass through a wedding ring, yet commands prices up to Rs 50,000 in upscale markets. By processing this wool locally and training women in advanced techniques, Looms of Ladakh ensures that the artisans, not distant processors in Kashmir or Punjab, capture the value of their craft.

The cooperative’s decentralized production model respects the nomadic lifestyle of the Changpa. Women work from home or in village centers, weaving on traditional backstrap looms or using semi-mechanized tools like the New Model Charkha introduced by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. Quality control and design are centralized near Leh, where Abhilasha and her team work with designers like Ankit Kajla to create trendsetting products that appeal to global audiences. From luxurious shawls to intricate scarves, each piece is a testament to the artisans’ skill and the cooperative’s commitment to slow fashion.

Building a Legacy of Empowerment

By 2023, Looms of Ladakh had grown from 150 members to over 427, spanning 16 villages and two districts. The cooperative’s financial success is remarkable: sales reached Rs 34 lakh in 2022-2023 and surged to Rs 42 lakh in the first 10 months of 2023-2024. Monthly pashmina consumption grew from 7 kg in 2021 to 52 kg in 2022, reflecting a robust business turnover. But beyond the numbers lies a deeper impact. Women who once worked as laborers on road construction projects or were confined to their homes now hold leadership roles as cashiers, product officers, and event coordinators. They manage inventory, maintain books, and travel across India to showcase their products at fairs and exhibitions.

Nawang Ladol’s story exemplifies this transformation. A war widow who joined Looms of Ladakh through an MoU with the Indian Army’s Leh Sub Area, Nawang found purpose and stability after losing her husband in the 1999 Kargil War. “I’ve really enjoyed being here and want to grow with time,” she says, her quiet optimism echoing the resilience of countless others. For these women, Looms of Ladakh is more than a source of income; it’s a community where they share stories, skills, and aspirations, breaking free from the isolation of their remote villages.

A Global Vision Rooted in Local Heritage

Abhilasha’s ambition for Looms of Ladakh extends beyond Ladakh’s borders. Inspired by a 2018 meeting with Ermene Zildo Zegna, CEO of the Italian luxury cashmere brand Zegna, she aspires to position Looms of Ladakh as a global luxury brand. To achieve this, she has focused on quality control, capacity building, and technology adoption. In 2022, the cooperative won the Swavlamban Challenge Fund from SIDBI, enabling the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning software with KOSHA Technology Bangalore. In 2023, Looms of Ladakh and its sister initiative, Perak, received the NASSCOM Inspire Award for non-tech manufacturing, a testament to its innovative approach.

Infrastructure has also been a priority. Abhilasha has overseen the construction of a centralized quality control atelier near Leh and a decentralized work studio in Chushul, both designed with sustainability in mind. Using local adobe blocks, passive solar heating, and waste pashmina for insulation, these spaces reflect the cooperative’s commitment to environmental stewardship and cultural preservation. The land for the Leh hub was purchased with the cooperative’s own funds, a point of pride for Abhilasha, who emphasizes autonomy: “Nobody donated it; it’s not on lease.”

A Movement for the Future

Looms of Ladakh is more than a cooperative; it’s a movement that challenges the ecological and ethical shortcomings of the global fashion industry. By championing slow fashion, empowering women, and preserving Ladakh’s textile heritage, Abhilasha Bahuguna has woven a tapestry of resilience and hope. Her journey—from a policy researcher captivated by pashmina’s potential to a leader empowering hundreds of women—reflects a deep commitment to justice and sustainability.

For the Changpa women, Looms of Ladakh is a lifeline, offering financial independence, leadership opportunities, and a renewed sense of purpose. For Abhilasha, it’s the realization of a dream to create a luxury brand that honors its roots while reaching for the world. As she eloquently puts it, “We want to live everything we are saying through our actions.” In the heart of Ladakh, where the looms hum with stories of tradition and transformation, Abhilasha Bahuguna is crafting a legacy that will endure for generations.