Promoting Colours of Nature

The project aims to increase the use of natural dyes in general. The main purpose is to demonstrate an economically viable and sustainable model for promoting the use of natural dyes in the textile industry. A list of Indian manufacturers of dyes, and dyeing auxiliaries, has been compiled. Eight dye manufacturers and five textile dyers, who are willing to share information with the project, have been shortlisted. Two editions of a Students Training Manual have been printed. Manufacture and use of synthetic dyes are two of the 17 most polluting industries in the country, according to

India’s Central Pollution Control Board. The manufacture of synthetic dyes has caused extensive pollution of land and water bodies in the country, especially in Western India where most of the dye-manufacturing units are located. The pollution is most severe in textile townships/clusters.

While the goal of the project is to encourage increased use of natural dyes in general, the purpose is to demonstrate an economically viable and sustainable model for promoting the use of natural dyes in textile industries. This project seeks to demonstrate an economically viable non-polluting and sustainable alternative that the textiles sector can use to dye material with natural dyes (supplied by farmers and forest dwellers) and produce textiles with properties similar to, or better than, textiles dyed with synthetic colours.

The expected outcome of the project is improvement in livelihood opportunities for gatherers and
growers of chromo culture plants, improvement of skills and technology resulting in value-added natural dyed products and increased availability of economically beneficial and competitively priced textile products to customers.

The project has been designed to produce four outputs:

a)	Ensuring sustainable supply of chromo cultural plants.
b)	Development and promotion of optimised technologies for dyeing commonly used fabrics.
c)	Training of artisans for improving skills in applying natural dyes.
d)	Establishment of linkages between farmers, artisans, designers, training institutes and outlets.

The project activities are being undertaken at different locations in the country. Chromogenic leaves and fruits are collected in Chaukul and pulverized at Dhavadki, both in Sawantwadi taluka of Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. The powders are tested in Mumbai and sent to Auroville (in Tamil Nadu, near Pondicherry) where they are used to train artisans in the new dyeing technology and to make apparel for test marketing in shops.

Yarn dyeing (hank dyeing) with indigo at The Color of Nature (TCON), Auroville.	Women being trained in indigo dyeing.	Chromogenic plant (manjistha) being grown for use as natural dye in Chaikul, Sawantwadi.

A pilot plant, to scale up indigo fermentation and dyeing, is being installed at Auroville. Students
from textile schools are trained at workshops and some are provided 1-6 month internship training at Auroville in the use of natural dyed material. A study of the comparative costs of dyeing with natural and synthetic dyes is being done at Bhubaneshwar.


Progress this year

Centralized collection of dyeyielding plant material was done through local gatherers from village Chaukul near Samantwadi. Started as early as August 2004, the project has helped train two Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with 21 members to collect leaves and fruits from 20,000 acres village common land in a sustainable manner.

Until March 2005, approximately 3.1 tons of plant material has been collected and SHG members were provided with 21 LPG kits (stoves, cylinders, piping, connectors and cooking platform) and 51 LPG cylinders. A polyhouse has been constructed and 500 saplings of manjistha and 100 saplings of a host tree have been planted. Leaves from an additional 36 species have been sent for evaluating their dye potential.

The dried materials are then transported to a nearby village called Dhavadki where the chromogenic plant materials are dried, pulverized, blended, packaged, stored and distributed to the actual users of this ready to use dye powder. Two tons of leaves supplied by the SHGs and harda fruit procured locally have been pulverised. The cost of nitrogen packed leaf powder is Rs.38.40 per kg and packed harda powder Rs.30.20 per kg.

The samples of the pulverized material were tested in the project laboratory at Mumbai for colour
characteristics and fastness. Seventy-two samples on cotton and six samples on silk were dyed. Thirty-eight of these were tested for light, wash and wet-rub fastness. The technology for dyeing cotton and silk yarn and fabric were optimised and the technology transferred to TCoN. The method for block printing was developed and used at training workshops. A cheaper levelling procedure was also developed.

LEFT: Members carring plant material home for sun-drying. RIGHT: Pulverization of plant materials for manufacture of natural dyes at Devalki, Sawantwadi.

A scaling-up of indigo fermentation from the earlier 300 L vat has begun with the introduction of a 1000 L vat at TCoN. The larger vat is now being maintained and used for dyeing. With these improvements TCoN is able to dye 25 kg lots of yarn and 20 meters of fabric evenly at one run with high fastness ratings.

The new technology to dye yarn and fabric has been absorbed. Procedures to use new technology to print fabric using shibori, batik and blocks have been developed and implemented. A manual for artisans has been printed. One artisan workshop was conducted at TCoN (10 participants) and four were conducted in Andhra Pradesh (Chirala, Amlapuram, Machlipattam and Pochampalli) where a total of 146 participants were trained. A facility conducive to Kalamkari drawing and painting has been established at Srikalahasti and six artisans have received training.

Five two-day workshops were conducted at textile institutes, one fashion show was held to display natural dyed apparel, and 44 interns from different fashion schools were trained at TCoN. Approximately, 130 women from 10 local SHGs, 300 students from local schools and 800 national and international visitors visited the TCoN dyeing and training centre. Around 660 items of apparel and accessories using designs prepared by interns were made, and are being marketed. Six exhibitions were held of these items and 15 outlets in cities all over India now stock and sell these products. A list of Indian manufacturers of dyes and dyeing auxiliaries has been compiled. Eight dye manufacturers and five textile dyers who are willing to share information with the project have been short-listed. Two editions of a Students Training Manual have been printed. The manual teaches students how to dye fabric and perform tie and dye, batik, and block and screen-printing with natural dyes.

Creating awareness about natural dyes among school children at The Color of Nature (TCON), Auroville.

The project has just completed its first year of operation. This project comprising multifarious activities by multiple institutions at multiple locations has demanded close monitoring and effective coordination, which was provided primarily by Punjab Durrie Weavers (PDW), Mumbai. The progress during the year is satisfactory. The project’s tempo needs to be geared up and sustained for the rest of the project period.