Skill Letts
VIEWS , VOICE & WAYS OF SKILLS
An in house journal of Additional Skill Acquisition Programme
SECTOR VIEW —— AGRICULTURE SECTOR ORGANIC FASHION INDUSTRY - New avenues for entrepreneurship ……..
Despite India ’ s long history of natural fabrics , the trends and approvals , like much of the rest of fashion , are from the west . There is a buzz about eco-friendly and organic clothing in the west and now the people within India are realising the importance of it .
Indian Organic Textiles Market
India is the 2nd largest global textile manufacturer and 2nd largest producer of natural textile fibers in the world and the major fiber produced is cotton . Other fibers produced in India include silk , jute , wool , and man-made fibers . 60 % of the Indian textile industry is cotton-based The majority of organic cotton produced in India is processed in the country and exported only as textile . The demand for the product within the country is negligible , mostly because of its high price .
Organic fibres
Organic cotton has gained popularity the fastest of all the natural fibre and is now is moving full speed into mainstream clothing production . It has been instrumental in raising awareness and spearheading the change of all fibre production to organic methods .
Apart from Cotton , fibres from Bamboo grass is also increasingly being promoted . Bamboo fibre are antibacterial , hypoallergenic and sustainable . People who have sensitive skin or who are allergic to fabrics can wear garments made from organic bamboo without any problems . Bamboo fabric is often compared to Premium because it is composed of luxurious 100 % organic yarn that is sustainable , unbleached & untreated soft and smooth material .
Bhu : Satvva , a success story from Ahmedabad in Organic fashion industry
Ahmedabad-based organic textile start-up Bhu : sattva redefines organic fashion as more than just khadi , offering an experience it calls “ from field to fashion ”.
The start-up provides eco-friendly classic clothing across India , which are created from organic crops in soil that has also been certified as organic . Bhu : sattva has more than 2,000 people directly or indirectly associated with it . Initially it started with men ’ s wear , but Bhu : sattva now has tie-ups with designers in diverse locations across the globe , including Paris and Qatar . “ We are one of a kind since we offer an organic experience through our clothes . From the field to fashion , our products are entirely organic ,” says Jainam Kumarpal , founder , Bhu : sattva . The raw material includes organic cotton , jute , bamboo fibre , banana fibre , Soyabean fibre etc . They use organic dyes derived from beetroot , henna , turmeric and catechu extracts . Their products include men ’ s & women ’ s wear , bridal collections and accessories . Right from sourcing raw material to ensuring its perpetual flow , backward integration processes including dyeing , weaving , blending of different fibres like banana fibres and pineapple fibre , soy fibre , milk fibre were challenging . Takers of organic cotton are very few and the farmers have to bear the brunt of this . Bhu : sattva encourages farmers to
cultivate organic cotton and also provide them a livelihood they deserve . Bhu : sattva also promotes the use of herbs with renowned medicinal properties , for coloring its garments . These natural colors help in rejuvenating the skin of the user rather than causing any harm unlike artificial colors Now , Bhu : sattva has fashion agents across the globe , with three agents covering Europe alone . It also claims to have a strong presence in Brazil , Mexico , Qatar , Singapore and the Philippines . Bhu : Sattva success story has key learning opportunities for budding entrepreneurs from Kerala who have access to organic fibre sources including banana & bamboo .
February 2017 Page 8