The National Centres for Textile Design, in association with the Weavers Service Centres throughout the country, has worked on a collection of hand-woven saris, dress material and stoles that use only natural dyes. Its brand Tantavi Heritage uses natural fibres such as cotton, silk (mulberry, muga, tussar eri, etc), wool and pashmina.

In a bid to encourage natural dyes and to create public awareness, the centre is holding the Tantavi Heritage exhibition to showcase saris, stoles and more created using handloom fabrics and natural dyes.

The exhibition will present a range of saris, stoles, shawls, yardage and bedspreads. Gossamer saris such as Chanderis, Maheshwaris, Balaramapurams, sheer Avadh Jamdanis and Benarasi cottons grace the list, besides Bomkais, ikats, bandhinis, Madurai chungdis, balucharis, coarser saris from Nagpur, tussars, and those such as Manipuris, Mugha silks, Mekhala Chaddar sets and many more. Other special textiles include ajrakh and mushroom yardage, Kullu and Pashmina stoles, and bedspreads from Panipat.

In ancient India, the colours that textiles were enhanced with were taken from Nature — plants, tree bark, flowers and such. Combinations could never go wrong with Nature’s colours. While, chemical colour palette with its brilliance of shades are less costly, easy to prepare and procure.

Only purists and concerned environmentalists decried the use of chemical dyes and began to revert to natural dyes for hand-woven fabric, supported by textile activists and the guardians of handlooms.

The Weavers Service Centres focus on product development to evolve marketable products through their expertise in design, weaving, printing and processing. Training courses are run for weavers and those who wish to learn the process of weaving and printing.

The centre circulates improved techniques and new designs, and provides market support by arranging interface among designers, producers and buyers, including execution of sample orders.

B. Paul, director of Weavers Service Centre, New Delhi, said that the designs have been based on traditional heritage designs of all popular handloom products in the country. The products have been developed by weavers and printers and national awards recipients such as Gajam Anjaiah, Ram Kishore and Khemraj. It is the first time that the North East will represent in such an exhibition.

The Tantavi Heritage exhibition will be held on March 12, 13 and 14 from 10am to 5pm at Chennai Trade Centre.