About

Anka is a contemporary retelling of the traditional cream and gold weaves of Kerala. We experiment with texture and pattern to posit the timeless in a dynamic new market. Our muse – modern Kerala. At once serene and vibrant, Kerala has long been associated with a simple elegance that we have embraced in our design.

Anka is an Endeavour to revive and sustain the weaving communities of Balaramapuram. Tradition being our forte, we work on pit-loom for all our creations. The uniqueness of the weaving is creditable as the fabric can be worn both sides. From utilizing the highest quality of chemical-free cotton to the purest form of gold and silver, Anka definitely stands for its gold weaves of Kerala..

 

Anka is the culmination of Usha Devi Balakrishnan’s lifelong passion for handloom and textiles. She retired from public service in April 2017 after a highly successful and accomplished thirty-five year run.  After her stint as Regional Director of the internationally acclaimed Kudumbashree project (a government initiative that sought to help communities living below the poverty line become financially independent by forming self-help groups) she was inspired to start Anka. It is an effort to revive and sustain the weaving communities of Balaramapuram. Usha has also drawn from her experience as Managing Director of the state run, Serifed and most recently KTDFC (Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation) to set up processes that take the design seamlessly through execution and quality control.

We work with twenty master weavers and their teams. As the brand grows we aim to provide training to the rest of the community, especially women, so as to create a robust eco system in Balaramapuram and reinstate their former glory as producers of some of the finest textiles. A self-taught designer, Usha Devi has a mastery over texture and pattern that posits the timeless in a dynamic new market.