Business

Traditional weavers take a peek at new trends

M. Harish Govind

Ayurvedic dyes a hit at technology exhibition

BALARAMAPURAM: The weavers of this traditional handloom town have always stuck to producing `kasavu'-rich `mundus', `dhotis', `veshtis' and saris which have little by way of colour or design. But things may be changing as they are slowly getting exposed to the latest advances in the industry countrywide.

The focus now is on making the necessary changes in design, colour and fashion to cater to the export market. Since chemically dyed textiles are now out of bounds in most importing countries, the industry has started looking to tradition for natural dyes that can meet modern-day standards of quality, colour variety and fastness.

An exhibition on "appropriate technology", organised by the Lucknow-based National Handloom Development Corporation in association with the Department of Handlooms here earlier this month, helped create awareness among the weavers' cooperatives here about quality dyes, looms and yarn.

Officials of Weavers' Service Centres, which are technical advisory bodies coming under the Union Textile Ministry, were there to explain in detail the methods of extraction and use of natural dyes. The rinds of pomegranate and jackfruit, onion skin, turmeric, indigo, dried shoe-flower petals and myrobalan seeds (`kadukka') were among the raw materials displayed.

These natural materials, however, have to be treated with chemical `moderants' such as alum, copper sulphate and ferrous sulphate in different levels of concentration to create the required colours. Onion skin, for instance, is boiled and then mixed with ferrous sulphate to get a black dye. Among the finished goods displayed was a Korvai silk sari priced at Rs.4,150, which was dyed an olive colour using pomegranate rind.

The stall displaying the so-called Ayurvedic dyes was a draw at the exhibition. These dyes are extracted from herbs prescribed by the ancient medical texts for use on clothes worn during the course of a treatment. The dyes hold a lot of promise for Kerala's handloom industry, it was pointed out.

Ayurvedic dyes are extracted from medicinal plants such as neem, `tulasi', `ramacham' and `adalodakam'. They are applied on cloth after it is seasoned in a solution of natural gum for up to three months to ensure fastness. Indigo is used for shades of blue and green, while `tulasi' gives light blue and other shades depending on the variety used.

A stall put up by the Handloom Weavers' Development Society, Thumpodu, displayed saris, shirts and other material coloured with various Ayurvedic dyes. The high value addition ensures good remuneration to the weavers of Balaramapuram, who work all day long on their pit-looms (these are installed in pits on the ground) for low wages, according to K. Vijayan, society member.

`Tulasi' cloth costs Rs.50 per metre, while `sandal' cloth costs a whopping Rs.300 per metre. Handloom dyed black with `ramacham' is used as material for stitching `purdah' clothing in the Gulf countries as it keeps the wearer cool. The dyes are sourced from the Ayurvedic dye-house set up with Japanese aid at Thumpodu.

According to Mr. Vijayan, Ayurvedic dyes have the major advantage that chemicals are not used at any stage of extraction or application. Besides, all the plant materials needed to make these dyes as well as natural gums are available within the State.

Handloom Department Director K.A. Chandrasekharan said the exhibition had exposed the weavers here to modern looms as well as new kinds of dyes. It was organised as part of the steps to encourage the production of furnishing material as in the Malabar area, which had a high export potential. "The weavers here cannot stick to producing sari, `mundu' and `neriyathu' always; they have to start producing garments of new styles and designs," he said.

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