Ayurvastra- The ​Fabric for 

Healing 
 

 
Vineesha.V
FD VII
11/09/2018
 

 
 1 
 

Introduction
The word Ayurveda is composed of two different words. Ayur and Veda. Ayur means life
or lifespan and Veda means knowledge. It iis a Sanskrit term meaning life cloth to
develop as a branch of Ayurveda. Ayurvastra is an ancient technique of dyeing textiles
using medicinal herbs. The concept of Ayurvastra was practiced in India before the
industrialization of the textile industry. Even today, in some parts of south India,
ayurvedic herbal dyed clothes are used to carry a newborn child, which will act as an
antibacterial barrier for the child. There is evidence that these clothes were used as a
medium for ayurvedic treatment, as the skin received the medicinal benefits of these
herbs through the exposure to clothing, bedding, or coir mats. The Ayurvastra concept
was revived through a project submitted to The Government of Kerala, South India, by a
Weavers Society in Kerala and further developed and researched by the Ayurveda
University of Kerala. Since 1992 the Weavers Society has been refining the ayurvastra
technique to make eco fabrics suitable for modern use and to create different colors
depending on the plants or herbs used for various health benefits. Ayurvastra fabrics
are 100% organic, completely free of synthetic chemicals, toxic irritants and are
biodegradable. The color of the fabric is derived from the medicinal preparation only and
no other colorants are used, they are dyed manually and completely naturally using
medicinal plants and herbs that are wildcrafted and organic, having specific health or
wellness benefits proven by both traditional knowledge as well as clinical research.

❏ Ayurvastra Works As the body’s largest organ, the skin functions as a protective
barrier but also as a conduit for outside substances to enter the body. In the
same way that the skin may absorb environmental toxins and chemicals from
conventional clothing, it has the ability to absorb herbs found in our natural dyes.
These herbs release their medicinal qualities into the body and strengthen the
skin’s ability to block and resist harmful substances.
❏ Healing Properties The herb-infused and herb-dyed organic fabrics act as
healing agents, absorbed through the skin. Each fabric is infused with specific
herbs that can help treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, the fabric
also helps with conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis, blood pressure, diabetes
and respiratory conditions, such as asthma.
The most effective time to wear Ayurvastra clothing is when the body is most at rest,
such as during sleep, relaxation or meditation because this is when the body is naturally
 2 
 
healing and re-establishing balance. This is why ayurvastra cloth is often used for
sleepwear, bed sheets, towels, meditation clothes and cotton mats. Ayurvastra
Improving Health The micro-encapsulation technology that embeds tiny capsules into
clothing fabrics, when these tiny micro- capsules come into contact with body heat and
wear, they slowly release their chemical payloads which can contain fragrances or
skincare lotions or other chemicals which might have some topical beauty or medicinal
value to the skin that comes into contact with the microencapsulated fabric. The use of
fabrics and garments to deliver health solutions is actually a very old concept called
Ayurvastra. Ayurvastra is a branch of Ayurveda, the ancient 5,000 year old Indian
system of Vedic healthcare.

Literature review 

Ayurveda is an ancient medical treatise, summarizing the art of healing and prolonging
life and is practiced in India for more than 5,000 years. It is regarded as an alternative
form of medicine. Now the same ayurveda is brought into Ayurvastra, the medical
dress. Ayurvastra cloth is totally organic, sustainable and biodegradable. Ayurvastra or
the ayurvedic medicinal cloth are made of 100 percent pure organic cotton or silk, wool,
jute and coir products that has been prepared on hand loom, processed and dyed by
using various ayurvedic herbs to assimilate medicinal qualities into them. Thus, these
are free from any chemicals that may release toxins and irritants harmful to users as
well as environment.

Health benefits of ayurvastra: -Each fabric is infused with specific herbs which are
known to cure allergies Ayurvastra is extra smooth and good for transpiration that help
in recovering various diseases. It may help to treat a broad range of diseases skin
infections such as eczema and psoriasis the fabric also helps with conditions such as
rheumatism, arthritis, blood pressure, diabetes and respiratory conditions, such as
asthma, sleeping disorders. It also helps in boosting immunity. The Anti- bacterial and
anti-inflammatory properties of Ayurvastra extends its use as dressings and bandages.
It can also relieve general body aches, stimulate weight loss, and strengthen the
immune system. It can also be used as energy booster, mood enhancer, for overall well
being,calming, and blood purification and cooling.The most effective time to wear
Ayurvastra clothing is when the body is most at rest, such as during sleep,relaxation or
meditation because this is when the body is naturally healing and re -establishing
balance. Hence most of products from Ayurvastra are sleepwear, bed sheets, towels,
meditation clothes and cotton mats.
 3 
 

Herbs used: -Around 200 herbs are used to achieve various colors of Vastra clothing.
Each color produced from a preparation that typically contains one or more predominant
plant/herb, like Turmeric in Turmeric clothing along with 40 or moreothers, which are
specifically blended and carefully prepared medicinal herbs, plants, flowers, roots and
barks.

Basic colors are achieved by

Color Plant

Red Sandalwood, Safflower, Madder Root

Blue Indigo, lime. Jaggery

Yellow Pomegranate Rind, Turmeric, Marigold,

Saffron

Orange Safflower, Madder Root, Marigold

Green Pomegranate, Indigo, Neem, Amaltas,

Turmeric

Brown Catechu, Lai Kashish, Henna

Black Iron Scrap, Jaggery, Peanut Oil, Castor

oil

Fabrics used to make ayurvastra: -Most common fabric used is organic cotton, the
cotton which is cultivated without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Silk, wool, coir,
linen, hemp banana, nettle, bamboo etc. were too used to prepare Ayurvastra.
 4 
 

Manufacturing Process :-

Steps:

➢ Bleaching
➢ Medication of yarn
➢ Dyeing
➢ Washing/Finishing
➢ Softening
➢ Drying

Bleaching: A process to remove the dullness and impurities of the yarn using natural
agents like sunlight, soap nut, medicinal grass etc.

Medication of yarn: A medicine is prepared from ayurvedic kashayam to medicate the

yarn so that it may be disinfected. The medicinal herbs are boiled at controlled
temperature and the sap is extracted from herbs.

Dyeing: After the yarn is being disinfected, it has to be provided with the colour. For
colouring the yarn, natural dyes like turmeric, pomegranate, myrobalan, tulasi etc are
used. To retain the value of cloth, plant material is directly immersed into dye bath.
Hence, the colour is fixed permanently to the yarn.

Washing/Finishing: After dyeing, the yarn is dipped in clean water and then treated with
natural surfactant solution to fix the unfixed colour.

Softening: Once the colour is fixed in the yarn, the fabric becomes very hard. To soften
it, coconut oil/ castor oil is used.

Drying: Finally, the coloured fabric is dried in shade and dark rooms for weeks.

Market Potential
• Chemical dyes used in the textile industry have impact on human immune system.
• Chemical contents in textiles play a major role in degradation of human skin, absorbs
deep into the human system causing various health problems.
• As Ayurvastra materials are totally chemical free and environment friendly the huge
impact it can have in the textile industry is beyond explanation.
• Ayurvastra products not only prevent the diseases but also perk up the immune
 5 
 
system in human body.
• A healthy world with an earthy remedy.
• This is a unique technology and thereby opening up a new area of entrepreneurship,
job orientation and economic stability.
Working Principle of Ayurvastra
• Herbal dyeing without chemical
• Protect human skin from many diseases by body transpiration
• Skin comes in contact with “Ayurvastra” , body losses toxins & its metabolism
enhanced
• Absorption of drug through skin is passive process i.e through barrier
• The most effective time to wear ayurvastra is during sleep or meditating Diseases on
which Ayurvastra is applicable Cancer, Skin diseases, Respiratory diseases, Skin
discoloration, Eczema, Psoriasis, Hypertension, Asthma, Rheumatism, Arthritis, Blood
Pressure, Diabetes. Fabrics required for Ayurvastra Raw fibers, woven & knitted fabrics,
non woven fabrics, stitched garments, cotton, wool & silk. Preparation of Ayurvastra
• Need 100% organic cotton, hand loomed.

Key concepts 
❏ Healing Properties of ayurvastra
❏ Market potential of ayurvastra
❏ Ayurvastra and sustainability 

Title suggestion 
❏ Ayurvastra - A Healing Herb-Dyed cloth.
❏ Ayurvastra: A miracle medi herbal cloth.
❏ Ayurvastra-Fabric for healing
❏ Ayurvastra-Clothes to improve health

 
 6 
 

Reference 

[ 1 ] Rockefeller. J .D (2015). An introduction to Ayurveda and its benefits. J. D

Rockefeller.

[ 2 ] Gupta, C., Prakash, D and Gupta, S. (2013). Functional Clothing: A Novel Concept
for Disease Therapeutics, African Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 5 (4): 160-166.

[ 3 ] Mamta, Rani Anita, Ayurvastra: A miracle medi herbal cloth, International Journal of
Phytomedicines and related industries, Vol. 7 Issue 1.

[ 4 ] Bipin J Agrawal, Ayurvastra: Herbal fabrics designed for healing, Journal of

Biotechnology & Biomaterials, October 05-07, 2015.

[ 5 ] Jyothirmai S, Sasmita Panda, Ayurvastra – Herbal Clothing (A new technology to

heal naturally), Vol-2 Issue-4 2016 IJARIIE-ISSN(O)-2395-4396