Organic Khadi, the latest buzzword in off shore markets

Jaipur, Feb 1 : The Indian organic Khadi has become the latest buzzword in the international market.

In Jaipur, a U.S. based fashion designer recently opened an exclusive fashion house dealing in a wide range of clothes made of organic Khadi.

Organic Khadi is the process of cotton farming without using pesticides or chemical in the crop or farms. This is why foreigners prefer such textiles as such a fabric is harmless to their skin.

Shari Keller, the American fashion designer, says that apart from regular Khadi clothes, people in the offshore market now prefer to buy clothes made from organic Khadi due to their medicinal values.

Having confronted problems in locating organic Khadi of original quality earlier, Keller decided to open a small unit in Jaipur. She already has a store exclusively dealing organic Khadi clothes.

"The aspect of organic is that it is environmental friendly. No synthetic chemicals or fertilisers or insecticides are used while growing Khadi," said Shari Keller, Director, Mehra Design House.

Raw material for the organic Khadi is available only in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh due to lack of awareness among farmers.

The promoter of this fashion designing house tells that the reason why they are exclusively dealing in organic Khadi is because the people in the offshore market are more concerned about pollution and health these days.

Khadi's association with Mahatma Gandhi during freedom movement in India has also led to its wide popularity and acceptability in the international market.

"It looks we have forgotten the Gandhi wear. Mahatma Gandhi asked everyone to cultivate Khadi and do the spinning on their own. Our Khadi comes after spinning looms, not machines. We are keeping alive the artisans and labourers who work on the Gandhian way," said V. R. Nagrajan- Manager, Mehra Shaw Design House.

Though the market for organic Khadi is small, it is expanding steadfastly. However, in India, there is not much awareness to grow organic Khadi among Khadi farmers.

Experts claim that the organic Khadi clothes do have medicinal values, as they help the body in fighting diseases like skin infection, high blood pressure or hypertension of worth regularly. By Lokendra SinghANI)

ANI