Human resource development

Today natural fibre product development is growing along with production capacity in the South because of the strong presence of cooperatives in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Kerala, church groups too have played a pivotal role in developing these skills. These cooperatives are worth studying and such groups have to be emulated with improvements in other states.

Development Strategy

1. Yarn development

India has strong traditions of weaving and dying as well as khadi and village industries dealing with cotton. The introduction of natural fibres here would bring about a very interesting change. Sisal, banana, pineapple, gongura etc. could be woven into many thicknesses and blends. These blends or pure fibres could be woven into an extremely wide variety of fabric for products such as floor coverings, bags and furnishings with value addition such as embroidery, beads etc. knitting crochet and macram are other options. Presently, jute monopolises the natural fibre market. In the future it could be a whole range of new materials and finishes meeting the needs of an export market which thrives on innovation.

• Mechanized raw material extraction, splicing
• Optimized mechanical spinning and blending
• Conversion into twine, yarn, braids
• Dyeing
• Conversion into fabric form, knitting, crochet
• Finishing: bleaching, enzymes, calendaring
• Final conversion into finished products
• Development of producer groups
• Marketing

Development or adaptation of jute machinery for bulk spinning would be useful. The creation of yarn by reprocessing pulp (rather than by spinning) also needs to be studied. A yarn production centre could be set up to supply handloom producers all over the country.

2. Product development in ropes and flat material

a)    Ropes and Braids: Development of simple machinery related to splicing, twisting, braiding, weaving and basketry of sabai grass, moonch, korai grass, screwpine, and water hyacinth is required. There are five or six basketry techniques that are used internationally with tremendous diversification in raw materials. People producing ropes and yarn could be different from those doing basketry. With the establishment of links between raw material preparation and basket production, conventional basketry groups (palm leaf, or banana fibre) could have access to newer raw material or thick ropes. Higher technology would definitely be essential for bulk.

b)    Dyeing: training workshops need to be held in dyeing techniques and in manipulation of colours / shades using azo free colours and vegetable dyes. Training workshops for groups in dyeing techniques and product development either individually or in combinations of materials such as palm leaf, kora grass, screwpine, palm stem fibre and water hyacinth are also required. If centralized dyeing is not possible, ways to achieve standardization of colours such as the use of standardized shade cards needs to be introduced.

c)    Flat Material Basketry: Product development and standardized dyeing are necessary for bamboo, cane, palm leaf and related materials, date and other palms, grasses, etc.