Udaanta Trust based in Bangalore has started an initiative called KANDU that envisages rural livelihood security and regeneration through a farm to fabric process.
Savitha Suri
It’s a very long story to talk of India’s tryst with cotton cultivation and one that needs months, no years, to understand the complexities around it.
The information that there was a time in the subcontinent’s textile history when several strains of cotton, and several colours were found ( both in the wild and cultivated), is not a new one.
Naturally coloured cotton that was grown using indigenous seeds and eliminated the need to dye the fabric.
Over time, we lost all but the white and even that is now a Bt seed(genetically modified).
Udaanta Trust based in Bangalore has started an initiative called KANDU that envisages rural livelihood security and regeneration through a farm to fabric process. Working with a lone farmer growing naturally coloured ( brown) cotton, Udaanta has produced fabric, stoles, towels and napkins that retain the earthy feel and goodness of the coloured cotton using naturally dyed yarn ( indigo, alizarin) only as a design element.
KANDU as the brand is called, means BROWN in Kannada and is pronounced as ‘kand(h)u’ (कन्दूँ).
KANDU as the brand is called, means BROWN in Kannada and is pronounced as ‘kand(h)u’ (कन्दूँ ). The first phase of the initiative is currently underway while the second phase of this initiative envisages a regeneration of employment opportunities and developing relevant, sustainable economic opportunities in the cluster.
Savitha Suri is a textile enthusiast and works in documenting textile history & traditions. She lives and works from Mumbai. emai: pravaaha.communications@gmail.com