Reviving Heritage: Strategic Marketing of the Saree as a Sustainable Cultural Icon

Drawing on Romila Thapar’s conceptualization of heritage as a dynamic continuum encompassing social practices, material cultures and systems of knowledge, this article situates the Indian saree within the framework of heritage management and consumer awareness. Cultural heritage, as distinct from yet inclusive of cultural property, comprises both tangible artefacts and intangible practices that embody collective memory and identity. The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) underscores the necessity of identification, documentation, promotion, transmission and revitalization of living traditions. Within this paradigm, the weaving traditions associated with the saree constitute a critical domain of intangible cultural heritage, demanding sustained institutional, economic and pedagogic interventions. Handwoven sarees represent India’s living cultural heritage, embodying centuries of artisanal skill, regional diversity and sustainable production practices. Despite their unique aesthetic, ethical value and contribution to rural livelihoods (supporting over 4.3 million weavers), the handloom sector faces declining demand due to competition from power-loom and machine-made alternatives, limited consumer awareness of authenticity markers such as geographical indication tags and inadequate marketing. This research article examines strategies to generate consumer awareness and demand, framed within heritage marketing, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the AIDA (Attention–Interest–Desire–Action) model. Ultimately, this study proposes a strategic framework to position the saree as a sustainable cultural asset, thereby bridging living heritage and contemporary consumer consciousness.