Dyeing Facilities

Dyeing Unit

Natural Dyeing Facilitation

For centuries, Kachchh artisans have used local materials such as fuller’s earth, pomegranate peels, indigo, and iron to dye their handcrafted textiles and crafts. The knowledge and skill required to successfully make and use natural dyes are deeply rooted in local craft traditions.  Artisans have guarded and passed down their family’s skills and dye recipes for generations.

Today, only a small group of Kachchh textile artisans practices traditional natural dyeing.  The practice is disappearing as artisans are shift to chemical dyes to reduce cost, increase their colour range and simplify the dyeing process.  Those who continue to practice natural dyeing lack the quality standards necessary to meet market demands.

KHAMIR believes that there is great potential to revitalize the use of natural dyes in Kachchh craft.  With support, natural dyeing can well become one of Kachchh’s USPs.  Artisans must work to revive their traditional practice by ensuring its quality.

“With support, natural dyeing can well become one of Kachchh’s USPs”

KHAMIR Craft Resource Centre is developing its Natural Dyeing Facility to support local artisans in their attempts to perfect natural dyeing techniques. There are very few centralized natural dyeing facilities in India; there are none in Kachchh.

KHAMIR’s facility will serve as a controlled laboratory where artisans and dye experts can work together to identify the process gaps that lead to poor quality natural dyeing.  They will then develop a methodology and systematic process that ensures quality natural dyeing of cotton, silk and wool.  KHAMIR will build the dyeing capacities of a wide artisan base by training textile artisans in this process.

Through its facility, KHAMIR will guarantee buyers high quality dyeing while educating them about the many possibilities for natural dyes. The Raw Material Depot will work with the Natural Dye facility to stock high quality dyes and provide them to artisans at affordable rates.

Chemical Dyeing Facility

KHAMIR Craft Resource Centre recognizes that natural dyes will never fully replace chemical dyes in Kachchh’s textile craft communities.  KHAMIR has developed a Dyeing Facility to support artisans’ efforts to standardize and systemize the practice of acid,and reactive dyeing.  Kachchh artisans are most in need of support with cotton dyeing, trainings to manage small to large dye lots, quality and consistency of dyestuffs, colour and fastness. The facility is a paid service to be used by artisans and buyers and doubles up as a demonstration for correct practices in chemical dyeing.

“support artisans’ efforts to standardize and systemize the practice of vat, acid, and reactive dyeing”

KHAMIR’s facility will serve as a controlled laboratory where artisans and dye experts can work together to identify the process gaps that lead to poor quality chemical dyeing of cotton, silk and wool.  They will then develop a methodology and systematic process that ensures a dyeing process that adheres to international standards.  The facility will also standardize and maintain colour formulas.  KHAMIR will train Kachchh artisans to use high quality dyes and a perfected process.

KHAMIR’s Dyeing Facility will work with the Quality Laboratory to provide a dye certification service for textile artisans and buyers.  This service will certify both the quality of dyes and the dyeing process.   The facility will also work with the Raw Material Depot to make high quality and brand name dyes available to artisans at affordable costs.

KHAMIR’s Raw Material Depot also oversees the inward and outward flow of all craft products used for KHAMIR’s trade facilitation service, outlet, and exhibitions.