Textile industry has become somewhat conscious about its negative contribution to the environment pollution through the textile chemicals used in its various manufacturing processes. Environmental friendly fibers such as organic cotton and recycled polyester have become popular among the fabrics and apparel manufacturers. However, after these fabrics or the finished garments are manufactured, they have to be dyed in the same chemical dyes that are very harmful to the environment.

Apart from growing cotton, dyeing is a major area of concern for people who have chemical sensitivities. Garment finishing techniques like wrinkle free, and non-shrink may also be harmful for people with sensitive skin. They may cause nausea, breathing difficulties, seizures etc. Herbal dyeing is one step ahead of organic life style. It supports the core concept of organic to eliminate the impact of harmful chemicals and pesticides. It avoids many ailments that are common with conventional clothing.

The Concept of Herbal Textile

When the textile is dyed with the extractions obtained from various herbs, they are referred to as Herbal Textile. When the dyeing is done with herbal extractions, no chemicals are used in its dyeing process. Whereas, some chemicals such as copper sulphate and ferrous sulphate are used as catalysts when dyeing is done with vegetable dyes. So, herbal dyes are different from vegetable dyes as they also carry some or the other medicinal value.

The concept of herbal textiles is derived from Ayurvastra - a branch of Ayurveda, the ancient 5,000 year old Indian system of Vedic healthcare.

The process

The process of producing herbal textiles begins with 100% organic yarn / fabric and every step in the preparation of herbal cloth and clothing is carefully and precisely controlled and no chemical process is adopted while dyeing and processing the fabric. The process of herbal dyeing starts with the gray cloth passing through several stages of treatment before it becomes colourful and ready to wear.

Fabric and yarns that can be used for herbal dyeing are certified organic cotton, natural cotton, silk wool, linen, jute, hemp and their natural blends.

3. Mordanting : To make the colors bright and fast, natural mordants such as, myroballans, rubhabs leaves, oils, minerals, alum, bark of lodhra (Symplocos racemosa), kenduka (Diospyrose ebenum), fruit extracts of haritaki (Terminalia chebula), iron vat, etc, are used, but mordants like copper, chrome, zinc, tin, etc, are avoided due to the environmental reasons.

• The organic cotton yarn or fabric is then dyed in a carefully controlled mixture of herbal dyes depending upon the disease or ailment being treated.
• The dyes used for dyeing herbal clothing comes by blending and carefully preparing different medicinal herbs, plants, flowers, roots and barks.
• The temperatures of the dyes, the duration and number of the dye soaks, the blend of herbs, and even the equipment used are carefully controlled.
• These herbs are applied directly to the fabric with the help of natural ingredients, so as to keep the medicinal value of the herbs intact.
• All kinds of shades of red, yellow, brown, orange and green, etc, can be prepared with the help of these herbs.
• The medicated cloth is allowed to cool and repeatedly washed to remove any loose particles and is always dried in shades.

5. Finishing : The finishing process used after herbal dyeing is also organic and is given by sprinkling pure water on the cloth and then stretching under pressure, using hand rolls, aloe vera, castor oil etc.
6. Recycling residue : The entire process is organic. It does not pollute the environment like synthetic dye. Solid and liquid waste is separated through the process of filtration and used for farming purposes - as a manure and for watering the fields and the waste is used as bio-manure and also to generate bio gas.

Machineries involved in the process

The herbs used in dyeing the fabric are commonly available. Ninety percent of the herbs used in  dyes can be purchased at a fair price from local tribes or local market who gather wild herbs grown in country’s rich forests. The remainder of the herbs can be collected from other parts of India. Some of the rare herbs can also be  procured from Agasthya forests of Western Ghats by the tribal community.

The healing touch of herbal textiles

The healing value of herbal clothing and its usage is based on the principle of touch. By coming in contact with herbal cloth, the body loses toxins and its metabolism is enhanced.

Herbal textile helps in fighting many common and prevalent diseases such as hypertension, heart ailments, asthma and diabetes.

For diabetes, Mimosa pudica (touch-me-not), cumon/cumin seeds, Magnolia champaca  (champa) flower and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis or shoe flower (ghudahal) are combined in the herbal dye. The main herbs used in the herbal dye for arthritis are curry leaves and apocynceae. Whereas, for skin diseases, the herbs used are turmeric, neem, indigo and sandalwood. Cuscus grass is good for asthma patients, sandalwood; with its mild fragrance has a soothing effect that helps in fighting stress. Rubia cordifolia, majith are known to be effective against diseases like leprosy. Katha, catechu is used for treatment of parasitic infestation and itching.

Some of the other herbal dyes used are catechu, pomegranate rind, madder, castor oil, sweet basil, lime, wild turmeric, henna leaves, curry leaf tree, aloe vera, certain herbal fruits, etc, each having their own healing effects.

The most effective time to wear herbal clothing is when the body is at rest such as during sleep or meditation because this is when the body is naturally healing and reestablishing balance. Skin is recognized as being the body’s largest organ. The skin can act as a barrier but also as a conduit for outside substances to enter the body. Many environmental toxins and chemicals in conventional clothing are assimilated into the body through the skin. Anything which can improve the skin’s natural ability to block and resist harmful chemicals and toxins from entering the body will be beneficial to health.

Keeping this in mind, herbal textile is often used in making bed coverings, undergarments, towels, meditation clothes, sleepwear, and other such garments that stay close to human skin so that all its benefits could be absorbed through the skin. The technology for making herbal clothing is also being utilised for making coir mats, mattresses, door mats and carpets.  For coir mats, the fibers are first soaked in herbal dyes and then woven into coir mats.

There is increasing demand for herbal textile within our country also. But this industry needs strong motivation from the Government to survive the competitions from regular cloth. Another point favorable for this herbal textile is their affordability. The lower cost production keeps the price of these textiles low.

The Handloom Weavers' Development Society in India is producing a wide range of herbal fabrics including sarees, bedsheets and dress materials using medicinal dyes, and exporting them to the US, Italy, Germany, UK, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. National government ministries and state governments within India see herbal clothing as a way to revitalize and increase the market for their handloom industries and to create a niche for their eco-friendly handloom fabrics.

The herbs do not pollute the environment through contamination of water resources in areas close to processing units. Moreover, the solid residue left after dyeing can also be used for the purpose of recycling, where, solid and liquid waste is separated through the process of filtration and used for farming purposes as manure and watering the fields.

Herbal clothes are completely free of synthetic chemicals and toxic irritants and are totally organic, sustainable and biodegradable. This age old practice emphasizes the importance of an environmentally friendly way of living, and sustaining the world in a virtuous way for the forthcoming generations.

Dr. Reena Aggarwal,

            Assistant Professor,
            National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
            Plot No. 15, Sector-4, Kharghar,
            Mumbai-410210,
            Email:  reenaagarwal2008@gmail.com

Note : The author may have used various references in the preparation of this article. For further details please contact him/her.