India is a country where being natural is not such a difficult thing. It is still the most basic lifestyle in our rural villages. People have better immunity, health and are in peace with themselves. India is a land where diversities really teach you if you are open to absorbing and learning. Extending natural living practices to fabrics being an integral part of our everyday lives was an idea I held very close to my heart - right from the days I graduated in Fashion Design. By God's grace, I met the right people who shared the same mission as I do and together the whole idea of natural plant extract dyeing and colors were formed. Eco Fabric Store is an honest attempt to fulfill that vision. All my fabrics are Eco Friendly and Earth friendly. The yarns are natural and are hundred percent biodegradable. We also offer a variety of fabrics made from Eco and Earth friendly fibers such as Organic Cotton, Bamboo, Hemp, Soyabean Protein, Banana and Ahimsa Silk.
I used to have my own organic cotton garmenting and manufacturing unit which was certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards) . These are stringent tests that they have to pass to gain the certification. However I closed my unit because of my marriage and moving to another city, but kept very good contacts and friendships with the certified mills I used to work with and all the fabrics that I am selling on Etsy are from those certified mills only. I work with local communities, and all the products are a representation of local communities, paying fair wages and generating local employment. Khadi for instance is a brilliant way of giving back employment to weavers of hand-looms who were no longer needed ever since power-looms came into existence. Sadly, their stomachs still existed and so did their hopes. A khadi fabric is a hand-woven fabric and each yard is a special story and has so much of character because it looks distinct and different-all with the slubs and imperfections in those minute nooks and corners. The naturally dyeing process is also a lovely story - GOTS Approved Natural Dyeing (also referred as Vegetable dyeing, Herbal Dyeing). We have developed the expertise to dye/print with flowers, roots, fruits, etc. This not only prevents water pollution due to replacement of petrochemical dyes with vegetable dyes/natural dyes,but also imparts medicinal value to cloth as many herbs used for dyeing are having high medicinal value. Also, this is not a newfound process, it was a common practice in ancient India. Historically done by hand and on small scale. However working with nature needs me to work according to its moods! For instance the rainy season doesn't allow the natural dyes to dry soon. There is also high humidity issues which causes certain pigments to coagulate which is why certain colors cannot be prepared in certain seasons.
Organic practices help safeguard the environment and protect habitats.Organic production conserves the nature and promotes diversity amongst different species. Organic agriculture safeguards the health of people and the planet, because it doesn't use toxic pesticides and insecticides. By using eco-friendly farming methods and renewable resources, organic farmers avoid putting chemicals into the soil or polluting our air and water.Organic cotton is grown without toxic chemicals; hence, organic growers use biological and cultural practices against pests.