How Medicinal Clothing Can Be The Healing Future of Fashion
Have you ever associated non-toxic, immunity boosting and herbs with clothing? If not, you are in for a surprise. There is an increasing natural method of incorporating plant-based, medicinal qualities into clothing. It is known as Ayurvastra apparel, which is known as containing healing properties and therapeutic benefits. Other terms include Ayurvedic apparel, since it is based on this science, and also as healing and medicinal clothing.
Ayurvastra clothing can be used for both health and for fashion. The future healing of fashion comes from a 5000 year old history from India’s ancient Ayurvedic medicine. Since it is a handloom craft, it is a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation, creating a legacy of weavers, This age old practice illustrates their cultural traditions and how it is important to live in an environmentally friendly way that is sustainable for future generations.
It is also a science that connects the spirit, body and mind through the magical medicine of plants. It can both prevent and cure minor illness to life threatening diseases. In addition, it is an all encompassing way of life that places mindfulness and joy in the simple act of wearing clothing. However, these healing garments do not cure everything. For skeptics, at best, it can mean an alternative to living better and shopping better.
Ayurvastra garments are made from organic cotton dyed with 20-60 herbs, plants, flowers, roots and barks to achieve a natural color with healing properties. In Sanskrit, the process of fabric dyeing is called “ayurvastra’. The word“ayur” means health and “veda” means wisdom and “vastra” means cloth/clothing. This roughly translates to healthy clothing which strives in restoring the body’s natural equilibrium, which is alike to most Ayurvedic practices. The medicinal effects of the garments can last for up to 20 washes.
Herbs used can include sandalwood, mimosa, pudica, cumin seeds, champa flowers, neem and shoe flowers. Every herb and flower mixture is chosen based on the intended treatment of different ailments. Only trained ayurvedic practitioners can create ayurvastra. This dyeing process is often done in dye baths that are boiled in a controlled temperature. They are then filtered, dried and softened with other natural ingredients like coconut oil and then are left in the dark to fixate. Vedic methods, such as chanting, are used to energize the garment. This infuses prana, or life force, into the clothing. Prana connects to the trust and belief in the consciousness of the plant, and thus uses its living color, taste and medicinal qualities to heal. Unfortunately, very few traditional dye-houses remain in its birthplace of India.
The following is a summary of the production of Ayurvedic garments:
*process will differentiate slightly based upon brand and factory
Material: Obtain 100% organic yarn, silk, wool, hemo, etc. that makes 100% organic fabric
Desizing: involves washing processed cloth with natural mineral-rich water and sea salt to remove sizing, gumming and oils in weaving process
Bleaching: involves organic, biodegradable cleaning agents and surfactants and then naturally dried in the sun
Dyeing: involves fabric or yarn being dyed with the herbs/flower concoction, left to cool, washed multiple times and then dried in shade
Finishing: involves sprinkling pure water on garment and stretching it with pressure, which include aloe vera, castor oil and hand rolls
Recycling Residue: involves solid and liquid filtration. Solid waste is used for manure and biogas while liquid waste is used to water farms
Mordanting: involves applying natural mordants to retain color fastness and to make colors look brighter. Natural mordants include alum, fruit extracts of haritaki, bark of lodhra, myrobalans and rhubarb leaves
This natural dyeing is an alternative to the mainstream fast fashion clothing that use toxic chemicals in their synthetic dyeing process. Since the body is the largest organ, this alternative will help eliminate the absorption of unstudied chemicals within the artificial dyes. The goal would be that from the very beginning to the very end of the garment production, every component contributes to the well being of the garment wearer. This includes the initial cottonseed to the final use of the garment.
More materially realist brands have marketed healing clothing as “ayur-dyed”, which promotes clothing made from natural and Ayurvedic ingredients. However, it ultimately rejects Ayurvedic garments as having healing properties. In this stance, the words “healing”, “detoxifying”, and “medicinal” are simply ways to differentiate their natural dying process and refocus clothing to be simple and clutter-free. It goes beyond the vanity in fashion and is a way to start taking accountability of having eco-friendly garment production. However, studies conducted in the Government Ayurveda College in Kerala, India in conjunction with the state ministry of health have found that patients experiencing arthritis, skin disease and rheumatism have found benefits from wearing Ayurvedic medicinal clothing.
Healing clothing also positively contributes to the health of garment workers. If fast fashion brands adopted natural, plant based dyes, employees would no longer be dealing with chemicals on a daily basis that form dangerous cancer related illnesses. This would reduce their need for medical attention and overall level of suffering in already under resourced and poverty stricken communities. In addition, water sources used by local communities would no longer be contaminated with toxic chemicals. All the while, ayurvastra cloth is often organic, sustainable and biodegradable. This would help decrease the burden on Earth and offer an alternative in producing and consuming clothing that could be sustainable under a faltering, overburdened ecosystem.
Luckily, Ayurvastra has experienced big demand in different countries: which include Saudi Arabia, UK, USA, Italy, Germany and more. It is also speculated that the global Ayurvedic service market, which includes clothing, will reach $2,850 million by 2025. In sight of more and more consumers interested in sustainable and environmental options, Ayurvedic garments do have the potential in capturing the global textile market. Idealistically, consumers should:
ask for natural options
question where products are coming from
be curious and innovative of naturally dyed and/or healing clothing
Ayurvastra pieces are mainly sold as sleepwear, meditation clothing and towels. It is believed that Ayurvastra clothing is more effective when the body is resting, whether during meditation or sleep. This is when the body is reesetablishing balance and naturally healing.
Brands offer an array of Ayurvastra collections and products. It is recommended that the fabrics be of your dosha. In Ayurveda, there are three different doshas for different body types that represent a person mentally and physically.
Vata (air) which regulates communication and movement
Pitta (fire) which controls transformation and digestion
Kapha (earth-water) which links to hydration and structure
To find out your dosha, take this FREE test here
Consider purchase from the following brands and/or designers for Ayurvedic clothing:
Ayurganic: founded by the designer duo Didlier Lecoanet and Hermant Sagar, produces healing textiles enriched with nourishment that enhances the wearer’s mind, body and soul.
Kitx: founded by Kit Willow Podgornik, uses ancient Ayurvedic recipes from southern India to dye fabrics and infuses her garments with antibacterial properties.
Monsoon Blooms: co-founded by Samantha Kamala, offers small collections of underwear, loungewear and yoga mats that are entirely Fair Trade, organic cotton and dyed using the 10,000-year-old methods of Ayurvastra in Kerala, India