Visit to Natural Dyes extraction unit located in honnesara & Spatial

arrangements of Farm forestry Model in Manchale.

Course – Non wood Forest Products management (FPU 501)

Submitted to –
Dr.Hanumantha M
Dept. Of Forest products and utilization
Submitted by –
Shivam Dash
Praveen Raj N

COLLEGE OF FORESTRY, SIRSI

UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, DHARWAD
Shramajeevi Ashram
We have visited Shramajeevi Ashram to observe the process of extracting natural dye. Charaka is
a women’s multipurpose industrial co-operative society situated at the Bhimanakone village on
the western ghats in southern India. It is a small but a significant success story. Charaka, in
collaboration with Desi Trust and Kavi-Kavya Trust, established the Shramajeevi Ashram to
provide training in rural industrial production processes. The Ashram allows people to benefit from
the opportunity of participating in an immersive training process. Artists, researchers, activists,
and experts in various fields from across the country and abroad visit the Ashram and conduct
workshops, seminars and training programmes during their stay. The Ashram serves as a local
resource centre and a site for interactive learning.

The Shramajeevi Ashram has a fully equipped natural dyeing facility and an in-house laboratory
for research and development in natural dyes.

It produces naturally dyed cotton handloom fabric & garments in a composite handloom unit
in Bhimanakone. Shramajeevi ashram is a common facility centre for Charaka women co-op
society run by a Kavi Kavya trust. Trains women in weaving, in the production of clothing and
accessories, and so on. Charaka produces naturally dyed handloom fabric, saree, stole, towel, bed
linen, home furnishing and garments. Charaka produces on an average of 30,000 meters of
naturally dyed handloom fabric per month. This is probably a national record in the country.
Charaka believes in sustainability and follows rain water harvesting, open well and solar lighting
facilities at its production facility. Charaka is a success story.

Charaka produces naturally dyed handloom fabric, saree, stole, towel, bed linen, home furnishing
and garments. Charaka produces on an average of 30,000 meters of naturally dyed handloom fabric
per month.

Bobbin winding

In the process yarn in the hank form is wound on bobbins. This is the first step in transforming the
yarn from the hank form to a linear form. Dyed hank yarn is wound on bobbins with the help of
Charkhas. This process enables the laying out of yarn lengths for weaving. Bobbin winding is done
by women in the weaver households.

Warping

The parallel winding of warp ends from many winding cones onto a common Warp Beam is called
warping. The warp is a set of threads attached to the loom lengthwise before weaving begins.
Warping is the process of creating the base yarn that runs along the length of fabric through which
the “weft” yarns are filled in to make the fabric.
Weaving

Weaving is a method of textile production, in which human resources (mostly women) thoroughly
do the weaving. The weaving is performed using a LOOM. These are the wooden machines
assembled in a specific order to interlace two sets of yarns.

Shrinkage and Ironing

Shrinkage is described as the reduction in length and width of the cloth when washed. Therefore
all fabric should be subjected to shrinking before cutting and sewing. Shrinkage can be carried out
in different methods. They also vary from fabric to fabric. Ironing is done after the shrinkage so
that it is easy for the garment cutting process.

Cutting and Tailoring

Ready fabric is used to start this process of cutting. Cutting for various readymade garments is
done. Once the cutting is done, it moves to the Tailoring department for stitching of the garments.
Garments stitched are quality checked, Ironed and ready for dispatch.

Quality Inspection

Inspection, in reference to quality management can be defined as the visual examination partially
finished components of the garments and completely finished garments in relation to
specifications, or requirements, as well as measuring the garments to check if they meet the
required measurements.

SOURCES OF DYE

SOURCES COLOUR

Rubia cordifolia Red

Rubia cordifolia + Punica granatum Orange

Punica granatum Yellow

Areca catechu Brown

Indigofera tinctoria Blue

DYE EXTRACTION:

There are two processes used to extract dye from plant materials.

Cold process

They keep plant materials with water over one night & dyes are obtained. Species preferred for
cold process – Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria)

Hot process

Plant materials heated with water having Potash alum for 2.30 hr with a temperature 70-80°c.

Species preferred for hot process – Rubia cordifolia, Punica granatum & Areca catechu

Potash alum is used as fixative for those natural dyes. Currently our products are processed at
below given places.
Sources for Natural dye

Manchale Farm Visit

We have visited to a farm maintained by Mr. Prakash located in Manchale village located near
Sagar(t.k), Shivmoga(d.t). He is a progessive farmer who manages different types of farming
systems which gives sustainable yield without any intense management practices. His intention
was to use naturally available resources such as rainfall, spacing, light etc, effeciently. All farms
are maintained organically without use of any chemical fertilizer.

Various types of farms observed:

1.Shathamoolika vana (100 medicinal plants)

In his medicinal plant plot, He conserved Malnad medicinal plants including various turmeric
varieties, medicinal tubers and creepers.

Amruth Balli, Shatavari, Shanka Pushpa, Ondelaga, Hippali, Chavya, Ganape, Agnishike, Jaali
and more than 30 varieties of creepers, which have medicinal value are available on his land.

He conserved nearly 200 varieties of medicinal plants in his farm. He developed 30 endangered
species which are of commercial value. He grows it by natural farming principle and he also got
national genome saviour award for his conservation activities

2.Non pallatable species

He has raised plants that are non pallatable to wild animals such a way that it prevents conflicts
among man and animals.
3.Kaadu madiri thotta (Plantations similar to forest)

In this plot he had planted various herbs, shrubs, trees so that they grow in different stratification
to utilize natural resources similar to natural forest. Various strata ensures the protection of shrubs
in ground layer by providing shade, litter fall helps in natural increase in fertility of soil and no
fencing was done.

Gliricidia sepium+coffee+ Mappia foetida+ Salacia chinensis+Birds eye chilly

Various species obsered:

• Canarium Strictum
• Salacia chinensis
• Cinnamomum Zeylanicum
• Gliricidia sepium
• Terminalia arjuna
• Pterospermum Acerifolium
• Pterospermum heyneanum
• Calliandra calothyrsus
• Aquilaria agallocha
• Aphanamixis polystachya
• Areca catechu

4.Star garden

He also maintains a Star garden, also called Nakshatravanam, It consists of 27 trees that are related
to 27 Nakshatras of Indian Astrology.

Certification

This farm is also certified by a certification body as an organic farm

CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARM

Farmer's Name : Mr. Prakash Rao

Reg. No. :KA1501000300

Area :6 Acre

Group : Sagar Farmers Group

Certification Body: Lacon Quality Certifications