GI tag for Arunachal Apatani textile product

An application seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Arunachal Pradesh Apatani textile product has been filed by a firm.

Context

An application seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Arunachal Pradesh Apatani textile product has been filed by a firm.

The Apatani weave comes from the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh living at Ziro, the headquarters of lower Subansiri district.
The woven fabric of this tribe is known for its geometric and zigzag patterns and also for its angular designs.
The community weaves its own textiles for various occasions, including rituals and cultural festivals.
The tribe predominantly weaves shawls known as jig-jiro and jilan or jackets called supuntarii.
The traditional handloom of this tribe is a type of loin loom, which is called Chichin, and is similar to the traditional handloom of the Nyishi tribe.

The people here use different leaves and plant resources for organic dying the cotton yarns in their traditional ways.
Only women folk are engaged in weaving.

The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years.
It can be renewed from time to time for a further period of 10 years each.
In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 which came into force with effect from September 2003.
The first product in India to be accorded with GI tag was Darjeeling tea in the year 2004-05.