European Madras manufacturing had serious consequences for the South Indian Madras trade. Cheap imitation Madras made in Europe not only competed with South Indian Madras in the global marketplace, it posed risks to the reputation of South Indian productions.
In this 1801 letter from the archives of the British East India Company, the Company Directors complained that poorly-made knock-off Madras handkerchiefs made in Britain were being sold in the Caribbean as genuine South Indian Madras. As a result, the reputation of South Indian Madras had been brought 'into great disrepute'.
Related Database Records
