Herbs we use to dye our organic fabric

Mon, 03/08/2010

Haritaki

Haritaki is so named because it grows in the abode of Hara (the Himalayas); it is natural green (harita) in colour and cures (harayet) all diseases.

Therapeutic usage: 
This is known as the king of herbs 
for its high medicinal properties.

 

Turmeric

Turmeric belongs to the same family as ginger, Sometimes known as "Indian saffron", It is the source of the familiar yellow colour of many Asian curry dishes. Both the culinary spice and the dye are obtained from its root. Turmeric was and is still used for textile painting and printing in India.

Therapeutic usage: 
Cures tvagdosa (skin diseases), meha(obstinate urinary disorders including diabetes), asra (vitiation of blood), sopha (edema), pandu (anemia) and vrana (ulcer). 
 

Indigo

Indigo’s ability to produce an extensive range of beautiful blue shades has made it the most successful dye plant ever known. The commercially available indigo powder is made from the leaves of Indigofera tinctoria, which requires hot, sunny, and humid growing conditions to flourish.

Therapeutic usage: 
Cures moha (unconsciousness), bharma (giddiness), udara (obstinate abdominal diseases including ascites), plihan (spleen disorder) and vata rakta (gout).
 

Madder

Madder's leafy tops sprawl untidily over the ground and their clusters of tiny yellow flowers look insignificant. Yet to the dyer, madder is a miracle of nature because its roots contain alizarin, one of the most valuable red dye pigments ever known.

Therapeutic usage: 
Cures visa (poisoning), sopha (edema), yoni sula (pain in female genital organ), aksi sula (pain in the eyes), raktatisara (diarrhea associated with bleeding), kustha (obstinate skin diseases including leprosy), vitiation of blood, visarpa (erysipelas), vrana (ulcer) and meha (obstinate urinary diseases including diabetes).
 

Pomegranate

The succulent pomegranate fruit yields an ocher-yellow dye and the skin is rich in tannin, which improves colorfastness. The pomegranate dye lacks brilliance so it is often mixed with turmeric root to make the color brighter. In India and Southeast Asia it is used as a mordant and a dye.

Specific action: 
Hrdya (cardiac tonic), rocana 
(appetiser) and constitutive. 
 

Cutch, Catechu

The dyestuff known as cutch or catechu is an extract usually made from the heartwood of Acacia catechu, a small thorny tree. It yields an orange-brown dye that is rich in tannin, and was used in Indian Calico printing before its introduction to the West. It is used mainly to dye cotton and silk.

Therapeutic usage: Cures krimi(parasitic infestation), meha(obstinate urinary disorders including diabetes), javara (fever), vrana (ulcer), svitra (leucoderma), sotha (edema), ama (product of improper digestion and metabolism), pittastra (a disease characterized by bleeding from different parts of the body), kandu (itching) and kustha (obstinate skin diseases including leprosy). 
 

Onion

The outer skin of this common vegetable is one of the most useful and readily available dyestuffs. It is ideal for a novice dyer's first experiments since it reliably produces rich, vibrant shades of orange, yellow, rust, and brown on all fibers, and does not impart any odor to the dyed materials.

Therapeutic usage: 
Cures svasa (dyspnoea), kasa (cough), gulma (phantom tumour), Jvara (fever), aruci (anorexia), sotha (edema), arsas (piles), kustha (obstinate skin discases including leprosy), sula (colic pain) and krimi (parasitic infestation).

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