The Gandhigram Trust has plans to tap high-end natural dye textile market in the southern districts. To begin with, it will make available its natural dyed khadi saris and other textile materials through its sales outlets at Madurai and Dindigul.

The main objective of making natural dye saris in modern designs is to expand the market base and boost income of weavers and familiarise khadi products among the next generation. Already the trust has conducted a survey to study the changing preferences and tastes of young women with regard to colors and designs of saris. To give a new look to khadi textiles, the trust has roped in textile design experts and the Craft Council of India for production, marketing, support and training in weaving and designing.

Research is on to manufacture natural dyed khadi materials. All colors would blend easily with other colors in the natural dye yarn. But in chemical dyes, some colors would not match with some others. The trust plays a little with colors and uses only traditional designs for the border to give an aesthetic look to saris.

Khadi natural dye textile products were received well at the Natural Dye Bazaar organised in association with Cooptex in Chennai recently.

www.gandhigram.org/