Ayurvastra Healing fabrics

Ayurvastra, if you haven't already heard of it, you soon will.  Also referred to as "Yoga for clothing", it is the ancient art of Indian medicine applied to fabrics, or loosely translated, healthy fabrics.  I sort of stumbled upon it in my experiments with natural dyes and my limited knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine. But it only makes sense that these two disciplines should be combined as there exists a huge range of plants that both utilize.

Very few companies are currently incorporating this philosophy of healing through fabrics into their clothing lines, but given the popularity of Yoga and the importance of natural medicine in our society today, it is only a matter of time before with see this practice popularized.  Similar to the organic food movement, there is a desire to avoid unnecessary contact with chemicals on our skin and consumers have been seeking healthy alternatives in the clothes they wear.  Ayurvastra goes one step beyond organic fibers with the addition of dyes that are medicinally beneficial in a variety of ways.

 "Research has shown a vitalizing effect as the person feels fresh and healthy. Selected herbal ingredients in the textiles have been found to cure diseases like arthritis and Hay fever, as it supplements and improves the natural function of the skin to block and resist harmful chemicals and toxins from entering the body."

This is a well practiced art in Indian culture, but the impact that it will have on the way we view clothing is enormous.  Our relationship with our clothing is changing and we are more and more aware of how its production impacts our environment. This awareness is now becoming more about the impacts on ourselves, and how clothing can be used to our benefit.  There is a vast an mostly unexplored realm of what our clothing can do for us and we are just beginning to see the potential as it buds.

I am that I am.