Reviving a 75 year handloom legacy by KALANECA

Twin sisters Kavea & Ramya started KALANECA as two dreamers who fell in love with the art of handloom. Coming from Kakinada of Andhra Pradesh, they were passionate to bring the focus to a small coastal village in Andhra Pradesh called UPPADA, where handmade silk sarees told stories that have been woven for over 75 years. For years, that legacy quietly thrived, known only to a few connoisseurs.

In 2014, with one weaver and ten looms, they decided to bring those stories to the world. The small step became the beginning of Kalaneca – House of Handloom, born out of the belief that the grace of Uppada deserves a global stage.

What began as a passion project has today grown into a family of 135 weavers and 160 looms, yet the essence remains unchanged – every saree is handwoven, never mass-produced. Each piece carries with it the time, silk, and the soul of the artisans behind it. Through Kalaneca, they’ve taken Uppada’s art beyond India – to the USA, UAE, Australia, South Africa, and many more countries.

KALANECA gave birth to the concept of Lightweight Luxury. Keeping the grand designs of Indian heritage and the Uppada weaving, seamlessly integrated the beauty of the concept, making it one of the most comfortable yet desirable sarees.

Over the years, Kalaneca has found admirers among HNI clients, bureaucrats, and through leaders from across industries. Remarkable women such as Radhika Gupta, Lola Kutty, Seema Anand, Kirron Kher, and Shobita Dhulipala adorn Uppada silks.

Their signature innovation – The Queen’s Gambit Jamdani saree, took the tradition of Jamdani motifs of Uppada and gave them a modern reinterpretation, ensuring that the designs, techniques, and the looms themselves remain alive for generations to come.

Today, Uppada’s future looks brighter than ever. As Uppada’s name finds its place among the world’s most loved handlooms, it is Kalaneca that has played a meaningful part in that journey. The world is slowly falling in love with butter silks and the grace of light-weight luxury, and at the heart of that is Uppada, brought to life by Kalaneca. Because when something is handmade with heart, it doesn’t just stay local – it becomes eternal.