Ayurvedic Textiles
Unique Products in the UK from Kerala Crafts
Encouraging traditional cloth skills .................... from the vedic age to the present
Over my eighteen years of visiting Kerala in southern India, I have become increasingly interested in Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a 5000 year old ancient holistic system of natural medical science – a speciality of Kerala. In fact, one cannot visit the state and be unaware of its high profile within everyday life. Spice plays a part in everything, from sustenance to the sacred, and is still going strong there today. The use of plants, spices & oils, along with massage to help & heal the body naturally, is gaining an increasing following in the West.
I was delighted to discover ayurvedic fabric – organic cloth that has been infused with these same herbs and medicinal plants that I experienced in my ayurvedic treatments. This is good news for those wishing to follow a more natural lifestyle, or for allergy sufferers. This fabric, when worn next to the skin, has a positive effect on the body. Specific herbs, such as neem and turmeric, are used to alleviate skin allergies & problems, as well as giving the fabric its lovely earthy subtle shades. Different herbs are used according to the health problem. The yarn is woven using a special gum and dyed with natural plant extracts, such as turmeric, neem & madder. The overall effects perk up the immune system, boost energy, enhance mood and give a calm feeling of wellbeing. Naturally dyed material appears restful to the eyes and sit happily side by side without causing a clash, hence creating harmony. A remarkable property of natural dyes is its ability to absorb ultra violet light. Thus it provides protection from the harmful effects of the sun, to the skin and the wearer. In Kerala, ayurveda infused cloth (Pomcha) was used to wrap a newborn baby in as it provided anti-bacterial protection for mother and baby. How it is made
Certified organic cotton yarns are bleached naturally and dried in direct sunlight or moonlight. An ayurvedic medicinal concoction called ‘kashaya’ is prepared,using firewood to heat water. The bleached yarn is coated with a natural herbal gum, from 25 gum-bearing plants, including aloe vera and neem, as well as the specific herb required for a particular health benefit and colour. The yarn is then dipped in the medicinal preparation for a period of 8 hours to several days under controlled conditions. This Kashaya contains up to 40 medicinal plants, one of which is the primary herb selected for its specific health benefits. Through the ‘cooking’ process the herbs are pre-digested and therefore will cause no reaction to the skin and its medicinal benefits are easily absorbed into the skin. This has a great direct effect on the ojas (vitality, immunity), tejas (cellular intelligence and prana (flow of communication). The dyed yarn is hand woven by expert weavers of the Handloom Weavers Co-op Society. The entire process is organic and no chemicals/dyes are used at any stage, nor any artificial additives. Whatever the claims, I believe the use of medicinal cloth has positive benefits on the person who makes it, the person who wears it and on the environment. Earth Friendly, Human Friendly |
The person who makes it – Production of the organic cloth gives assured, regular work to the traditional handloom weavers, as well as the local tribes who sustainably harvest 90% of the herbs nestled in Kerala’s lush green protected forests. This market therefore helps secure livelihoods of local farmers, weavers and tribes, as well as our ladies in Ponnani, who make our products. When Kerala’s weaving industry went through an economic crisis, a group of hand weavers began to revive their ancestors’ practice of dyeing cloth with medicinal ayurvedic plants in the hope of stimulating the otherwise declining industry, as well as producing pure, beautiful and spiritual products.
The person who wears it – Apart from its medicinal qualities, the organic cloth is also free from synthetic chemicals and toxic irritants. The usage of the cloth is based on the principle of touch. By coming into contact with ayurvedic fabric, the body loses toxins and its metabolism is enhanced. The therapeutic result occurs when applied to the skin, working through a mode of action called ‘Prabhav’- which means ‘effect’.
In the same way that the skin may absorb toxins and chemicals from conventional clothing (39% can be absorbed into the body), it also has the ability to absorb herbs found in natural dyes. According to Maharishi Ayurveda, skin infections reflect an imbalance in the 4th layer of skin (Tamra), which supports the immune system and performs the function of acting as a barrier. By the herbs releasing their medicinal qualities into the skin and strengthening the skin’s ability to block and resist harmful substances, the wearer's health might be improved.
The person who wears it – Apart from its medicinal qualities, the organic cloth is also free from synthetic chemicals and toxic irritants. The usage of the cloth is based on the principle of touch. By coming into contact with ayurvedic fabric, the body loses toxins and its metabolism is enhanced. The therapeutic result occurs when applied to the skin, working through a mode of action called ‘Prabhav’- which means ‘effect’.
In the same way that the skin may absorb toxins and chemicals from conventional clothing (39% can be absorbed into the body), it also has the ability to absorb herbs found in natural dyes. According to Maharishi Ayurveda, skin infections reflect an imbalance in the 4th layer of skin (Tamra), which supports the immune system and performs the function of acting as a barrier. By the herbs releasing their medicinal qualities into the skin and strengthening the skin’s ability to block and resist harmful substances, the wearer's health might be improved.
Did you know?
• 75,000 artificial chemicals have been injected into our eco-system since 1940
• Pesticides are sprayed on cotton 7 times during the growing season • Turmeric imbues the skin with anti-oxidants, and cleans and disinfects without drying out the skin’s natural oils. Sometimes known as 'indian saffron', it gives an all-round skin boost. • Identified as ‘skin food’, turmeric is used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and to protect against skin problems such as soreness and irritation • Neem is good for boosting skin health and is renowned for its antiseptic properties • Indian Madder & Indigo are great herbs for skin irritations. The natural fabric allows perspiration to evaporate; the cloth gives comfort and energy |
The Environment
As the cloth is organic, sustainable and biodegradable, its production protects our natural resources and is kind to the environment. Its production causes no pollution as with synthetic dyes, and any waste is used either as bio manure or to generate bio gas. The cloth production process signals a return to traditional organic natural dyeing, replacing the synthetic – though cheaper – dyes which cause pollution to the environment and health related issues. Whilst our western mind may have difficulty getting its head around the whole concept of ayurveda, it has to be acknowledged that something which has lasted for 5000 years must have merit or would have been rejected long ago! The potential health benefits of herbs taken through supplements, teas, tinctures and aromatics is well documented, so it would follow that wearing clothing that has been infused with herbal dyes can also be of benefit to the wearer. Clinical tests were carried out in a Government Ayurveda College in Trivandrum (Kerala’s capital) on patients suffering from rheumatism, arthritis, allergies, hypertension, as well as skin problems such as psoriasis. The results saw an effective outcome from those patients wearing infused clothing – all noted a marked improvement in their condition. The beneficial properties are slowly released when the cloth comes into contact through body heat and wear. |
Kerala Crafts at present has a range of fair trade ayurvedic products. By purchasing from our new range, you are supporting an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic fabrics and synthetic dyes as well as being able to wear the purest and healthiest of cloth next to your body, and sustain employment to many who would otherwise be unemployed.
"It’s a very good concept – and I welcome it with my full heart" Dr Madhusudhanan (from a family with 400 years of heredity in this traditional field of medicine) Sree Chithra Ayur Home, Kerala (Green Leaf certified) |
Click to buy our Ayurvedic Knickers
For more information on Ayurveda, please read An Introduction to Ayurveda
For more information on Ayurveda, please read An Introduction to Ayurveda