Glossary

Natural dyes such as indigo, pomegranate rind, myrobalan, lac and manjistha as well as benign chemicals like aluminium and iron are eco-friendly alternatives to the synthetic dyes and hazardous chemicals used in conventional fabric dyeing. Natural dyes are made from plants, earth clays and even insects, which translates to less harm to the ecosystem. Another eco-friendly alternative is the use of vegetable dyes on leather garments. (mslk.com )

Natural fibres are materials derived from plant, animal, or mineral sources as opposed to synthetic or man-made sources. “Natural” does not necessarily mean “organic” or “eco” and can involve various manufacturing processes that are highly environmentally detrimental. Examples include hemp, silk, cotton and leather.

A recently re-discovered old fabric. Nettles were used to make textile until somewhere in the 19th century and it was mainly due to cotton that nettle cloth was forgotten. Nettle plants are resistant to disease and vermin and therefore don’t require any contaminating pesticides and herbicides. Only the fibers in the stems are used for making cloth; the leaves and the prickly needles that cause itching are not used for making clothing.

Nettle fabric is developed from the Brennessel plant and was very popular in the Middle-Ages when upper-class ladies preferred it over silk. This plant grows in almost all types of soils and it requires very little fertilization because the minerals are not leached out of the ground. Brennessel is naturally resistant to vermin and many parasites and can be grown without pesticides and herbicides. It can be more finely woven than cotton and can have the gloss of silk. The fiber is hollow and this makes it possible for nettle fabric to breathe and be insulating at the same time. www.ecofashionworld.com)