The National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) is actively promoting the use of natural dyes among its registered handloom weavers across the country, according to its Rita Prem Hemrajani, Managing Director.

In FY 2022-23, NHDC supplied yarn, dyes, and chemicals worth Rs 1,150 crore, a figure expected to rise to Rs 1,200 crore this year. The Corporation provides yarn to nearly five lakh weavers, with 50 per cent of them being individual weavers and the remaining part of various handloom societies.

This year, NHDC is organising workshops for weavers to encourage the use of natural dyes and encourage its adoption by all handloom societies, states Hemrajani.

To support this initiative, NHDC has partnered with two textile mills; one in Coimbatore and another in Salem to produce yarn dyed with natural dyes. It has also sent samples of the dyed yarn, ranging from 20s to 40s count to handloom societies for evaluation. Certain societies in Odisha and West Bengal, which prefer high-count yarns, have expressed interest, and the mills are currently conducting trials. NHDC is also seeking additional suppliers to meet the growing demand, adds Hemrajani.