Charaka Cotton

Charaka is a women's multipurpose industrial co-operative society situated at Bhimanakone Village in the Western Ghats of Southern India. It is a small but significant success story. It produces naturally-dyed cotton handloom textiles in a composite handloom unit in Bhimanakone in the Shimoga district of Karnataka. Charaka is home to the iconic Charaka sari, renowned for the elegant simplicity of its design, earthy color tones, and the unmatched comfort it offers to the wearer.

The most significant aspect about this co-operative is its work in the field of natural dyeing. Unlike other ventures in natural dyeing, Charaka has focused its attention on cost-effective production and some of the natural products have become as inexpensive as their chemical counterparts.

In an effort to provide job opportunities to more people, Charaka has de-centralized its processes. People get trained in Charaka on the different processes and then they set up their own units in the comfort of their homes. The weavers, dyers or tailors need not travel too far to earn their livelihood. Also, most of these workers being women, they can balance their work and household.