For as long as he remembers, Karnataka-based Rajshekhar Virupaxappa
has been weaving and dyeing fabrics. The knowledge of yarns and dyes
comes naturally to him. But nearly eight years ago, when his hands
started burning and skin irritation, body ache and fever became
frequent, he realised it was time to go back to the traditional, natural
ways of his profession.
“I realised that the root cause of my bad health was overexposure to
chemical dyes and polyester,” recalls the 40-year-old, fondly called Keludi in his village.
Around the same time, fashion designer Vaishali S. was exploring
Karnataka for its once-revered handloom weave Khunn (pronounced as
Khand) for her debut collection. Like Banarasi, Khunn is also a brocade
weave dotted with small motifs and is light in weight. She eventually
met weaver Virupaxappa in a non-descript village in Bagalkot district.
While the rendezvous led to Vaishali rolling out a successful
sustainable fashion collection, it gave Virupaxappa an opportunity to
embrace natural weaves and dyes and thus, better health and income. Over
the last few years, the master weaver is happier with his better health
and earnings, while the fashion designer has grown her operations in
India, the US and parts of Europe.
“The world is changing. As weavers working with fashion designers we
need to understand the trade, the people and the environment,” said
Virupaxappa. “When I used to use chemicals, it was purely due to lack of
knowledge and faster completion of work. But over the last few years, I
realised, natural, sustainable way of fabric weaving may need more
effort and time, but it has multiple benefits. As my health improved, I
understood how a shift to sustainable fashion is also good for a greener
world. If nature is giving us livelihood, we must make an effort to
keep Mother Earth clean and green. Synthetic fibers and chemical dyes
harm us, our families and our environment. Little efforts go a long way
in protecting the environment,” said Virupaxappa, an arts graduate,
adding that his income went up by nearly 30% after making the switch.
