The Concept of Herbal Textile
Herbal Textile is dyed entirely with herbal extractions,without using any sort of chemicals. The herbs used are different fromvegetable dyes as they are not only natural but also have medicinal value.These herbs are applied directly to the fabric with the help of naturalingredients, so that the medicinal value of the herbs can be kept intact. Nochemical process is adopted while dyeing. Even bleaching of cloth is donenaturally by exposing it to sunlight. The herbs also do not pollute theenvironment through contamination of water resources in areas close toprocessing units. All kinds of shades of red, yellow, brown, orange and greenetc. can be prepared with the help of these herbs.
The Healing Effects of Herbal Textile
As we now know that herbal textile is dyed with herbs havingmedicinal property, it is natural that the end products made with it willdefinitely have some or the other health benefits. Herbal Textile can, in fact,fight diseases like hypertension, heart ailments, asthma and diabetes dependingupon the herb used to make the dyes. Some of the examples will help tounderstand the healing effects of herbal textile.
- Indigo: This herbal dye helps in fighting skin diseases.
- Cuscus Grass: It helps in fighting asthma.
- Turmeric: It can cure pain and is also beneficial for enhancing skin qualities.
- Sandalwood: Its mild fragrance has a soothing effect that helps in fighting stress.
Some of the other herbal dyes are catechu, pomegranate rind,madder, castor oil, sweet basil, lime, wild turmeric, henna, curry leaf tree,aloe, certain herbal fruits etc. each having their own healing effects.
Herbal textiles are mostly used in making bedsheets,undergarments, and other such garments that stay close to human skin so thatall the benefits could be absorbed through the skin.
Other Benefits of Herbal Textile
Herbal textiles are not only eco-friendly but they leavecertain residues that can be further used for making other environmentalfriendly products.
- The solid as well as liquid wastes from herbal dyeing process can be recycled to be further used as manure in fields.
- Some of the environmentally conscious industries engaged in producing herbal textiles, make organically recycled textile paper bags by stitching the leftover organic and herbal dyed fabrics which can counter the growing menace of plastic bag pollution.
- It also promotes cultivation of herbs required for the dyeing process of herbal textiles.
Herbal Dyes- Production and Consumption
Herbal textiles can be priced more competitively than theconventional fabrics due to its low production cost. If a comparison is made, aplain chemical dye costs around $75per kg while a herbal dye costs approx.$5per kg.
Most of the herbs used in dyeing herbal textile arecultivated in South East Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, India being the leading producer. The Handloom Weavers Development Society(HLWDS) of Kerala, India has exported herbal and organic textile worth Rs.50Lakh to US, Europe and Japan. The herbal textile is becoming so popular thatthe Japanese Government has given HLWDS a grant of $40,218.
Wholesale Supply of herbal textiles is made intointernational markets of USA, Canada, France, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Maldives, Mauritius, Japan and Sri Lanka.
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