The Thumpodu Handloom Weavers' Society, Balaramapuram, near Thiruvananthapuram has developed innovative handloom clothes with claims of medicinal properties and curative power.

The society has started making handloom clothes woven from dyed cotton yarn, dyed with dyes of extracts of various herbs used in Ayurveda. The extracts of herbs used to cure and control diseases like diabetes, cardiac problems, skin diseases etc. are being used to dye the yarn, which is used for weaving the medicinal fabric. When used continuously, the fabric would help to cure or control the diseases, as the medicinal extracts on the fabric would seep into human body because of prolonged contact, elaborates society sources.

The society is in the process of making available the medicinal fabric as sarees, towels, shirt etc., and patenting the process and technology. The Kerala government had recently awarded a financial incentive to popularize and mass market the medicinal fabric, said sources.

Balaramapuram, a popular handloom weaving centre in south India, claims to have a history of weaving Ayurvedic medicinal fabrics since centuries, mainly for the kings of Madurai and Travancore. CR Ayyappan Vaidyar and Padippura Veettil Damodaran Vaidyar, two experts in weaving medicinal fabrics and Ayurvedic practice, were associated with the palace of Sri Chithira Thirunal, the last Maharaja of Central Travancore before independence. Their descendents are currently engaged in manufacturing and marketing various medicinal fabrics combining Ayurveda, handlooms and coir products, thanks to the inherited technology and expertise.

The medicinal fabrics were displayed recently at the Business-to-Business meeting held at Kochi held to showcase exclusive Kerala designed products, and had numerous enquiries from buyers and delegates from different parts of the world, said sources.