A SPOTLIGHT ON MORAL FIBRES: REVIVING TRADITIONAL KHADI ORGANIC COTTON
(Image reference: https://moralfibre-fabrics.com/)
Clothing and fabric have a deep personal connection to heritage and local community. The history of India’s cotton dates back thousands of years ago where the cultivation of the crop was incepted in The Valley of the Indus. Yet today, multiple varieties of cotton are no longer grown due to the replacement and dominance of genetically-modified seeds.
In 1920, Gandhi believed Khadi cotton would help gain economic independence from India over the British rule. He propelled the ‘swadeshi’ movement which encouraged Indians to make and buy local products and today, India is one of the very few countries in the world, where artisanal skills for crafting textiles still survive.
MORAL FIBRE, our latest supplier on our Future Fabrics Virtual Expo platform, has supported the revival of the traditional handcrafted Khadi fabric, which is unique to India’s textile heritage and an important part of history. The inherent quality of MORAL FIBRE fabrics is wearable for different seasons, from summer through to winter.
Moral Fibre’s khadi cotton fabric is farmed organically, which means there are no GMO seeds used, only untreated seeds. Organic cotton farming builds soil organic matter through crop rotation, intercropping and compost, and therefore retains water more efficiently due to the organic matter in the soil. This helps the environment from pollution and the depletion of the soil. Organic cotton also uses rainfed irrigation, no pesticides and no synthetic fertilizers.
(Image reference: http://aboutorganiccotton.org/organic-farming-system/)
Khadi handcrafted fabrics play a pioneering role by presenting new ways of working with alternatives, involving artisans to hand-spin and hand-weave the material. The traditional handweaving process applies cleaner energy from renewable resources, as opposed to current conventional industrial woven and knitted manufacturers.
MORAL FIBRE have helped support local communities and the economy by providing jobs to over a hundred small artisans living in the remote villages of Saurashtra Gujarat. From spinners, weavers, dyers, block makers, printers to tailors, many of these specialized skill sets are fading away and their communities are diminishing fast, due to competition from the fast fashion industry.
(Image reference: https://moralfibre-fabrics.com/)
We asked Moral Fibre how their company is supporting hand weaving artisans and how the slow production of Khadi cloth is contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry.
- How do hand-woven materials play a part in the future landscape of materials?
Hand-woven fabrics play a fundamental role in the future landscape of materials, it can collectively support a sustainable fashion industry locally and globally. By utilizing organic cotton fibre, powered by solar energy systems, the scalability of production can grow. We can meet several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 5: Gender Equality- Providing livelihoods for women living in remote villages by decentralizing production so that the women can sustain themselves.
- Goal 7: Energy & Alternative Energy sector – By using alternative, solar-powered energy resources instead of fossil fuels for manufacturing.
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth- Preserving agriculture and organic farming sector via organic cotton farming.
- Goal 13: Environment Protection and Pollution Control Agency –Reducing CO2 emissions and pollution by using natural fibres and chemical-free fabric production and processing.
Moral Fibre believes that the use of traditional hand-craft and renewable energy plays a significant role in the new growth of the textile industry.
- What dyes are you using to colour your materials?
We use azo-free dyes, natural dyes and natural indigo.
- How can fashion have a positive impact on nature and communities?
The revival of Khadi Cotton dates back to the 1920s where Mahatma Gandhi made people of India and the world aware of the ethical side of fabrics. He stated that “There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness.”
Post-COVID let us not move back; let us move forward, and let us move away from ‘fast fashion’ to “sustainable fashion”. Let clothing be a force of good to the artisans struggling to get work and livelihood, and our biodiversity on our planet, to help create pollution-free air, water, and sky. Let us live consciously.
- What are your goals and plans moving forward?
We believe that Khadi cotton is a step forward in bringing back ethical and social values, not only to the supply chain but also to a life cycle that is more meaningful for all of us.
