What it is & why it’s region-specific

• Protected origin: “Pochampally Ikat” is a registered Indian Geographical Indication (GI Application No. 4; 2005) for yarn-tie resist-dyed fabrics and sarees made in and around Bhoodan Pochampally, Telangana.
  
• Technique & cluster: Locally called Paagadu Bandhu, the craft predyes patterns on warp and/or weft (single or compound ikat; double ikat is practiced only by a subset of master weavers). The cluster spans villages such as Pochampally, Koyyalagudem, Choutuppal, Siripuram and Puttapaka.
  
• Materials & look: Cotton, silk and “sico” (silk-cotton) bases, with crisp geometric motifs and the characteristic feathered edges of ikat.
  
• Place equity: Bhoodan Pochampally was named a Best Tourism Village (2021) by UNWTO—useful for origin storytelling.
  

Export readiness

HS/ITC-HS classification

There isn’t a separate HS line for “Pochampally”; exporters use the relevant saree/fabric lines by fibre & construction. Examples (verify per product/fibre and destination country):

• Silk sarees: 5007.20.10 “Sarees” (India ITC-HS; also appears in DGFT incentive appendices).
  
• Cotton/MMF-blend sarees (fabric lines): 5211.21.40 “Saree” (cotton <85% mixed mainly with MMF, >200 g/m², unbleached/bleached/finished variants exist under 52.08/52.09/52.11).
  

Tip: Destination customs may classify sarees differently from India’s 8-digit ITC-HS; ask your customs broker to confirm local HTS.

Where they sell now

India’s handloom exports (all products) go mainly to the USA, UK, UAE, Germany, France, Australia, Italy, Netherlands etc. Use this as a demand proxy for ikat sarees and made-ups.

Quality & compliance you should insist on

Origin & authenticity

• GI-based origin in your purchase contracts (production in the notified Telangana cluster).
  
• Handloom Mark labels (Textiles Committee) on each piece to deter power-loom substitution; keep supplier’s Handloom Mark registration on file.
  

Benchmarked product standards

• India Handloom Brand (IHB) benchmarks: documented ends/picks per inch, fibre deniers/counts, and lab test minimums (colour fastness to washing, rubbing, perspiration, light). Use IHB tables as acceptance criteria even if you don’t brand under IHB.
  
• Example entries for Pochampally/ikat categories appear across IHB parameter lists and SOPs (ends/picks, silk deniers, width)
  

Chemical restrictions (for EU/UK and most brands)

• Require REACH Annex XVII compliance—no azo dyes releasing the 22 restricted aromatic amines; align with brand RSLs.

Typical construction/features to verify

• Fabric: Cotton, silk, or sico; haziness of motif edges is inherent to ikat (don’t reject for that).
  
• Technique: Pattern alignment from pre-dyed warp/weft (single or compound ikat). For high-end briefs you may commission double-ikat work from specialist units in the cluster.
  

Strengths vs. other Indian ikats

• Design language: Telangana’s Pochampally tends to bold, geometric repeats (vs. curvilinear Odisha bandhas or Gujarat’s Patan patola double-ikat tradition).
  
• Material versatility: Strong sico offering—good drape with price points between pure cotton and pure silk.
  
• Cluster infrastructure: Longstanding co-ops and a dedicated Pochampally Handloom Park (industrial cluster) support design, dyeing, and export interfacing—useful for scaling programs

Buyer checklist

• Specs pack: Define fibre (cotton/silk/sico), target ends/picks (use IHB tables), width, saree length (≈6.2 m typical), and pallu/border brief.
  
• Lab tests: ISO 105 series for colour fastness (wash/rub/perspiration/light) to IHB-equivalent minimums; AZO screening for EU orders.
  
• Labels & marks: Handloom Mark; optional IHB certification for premium lines.
  
• Trade docs: Use correct ITC-HS 8-digit line (e.g., 50072010 silk sarees; 52-series for cotton/mixed sarees) and confirm destination HTS with your broker.
  
• Supplier selection: Prioritize GI-area co-ops/master weavers; request loom photos + tie-dye frames and dye house documentation.