Free Elegance

The chikan work of Lucknow is perhaps one of the most popular embroidery works in India. The name 'Chikan' seems to have been derived from the Persian word, either 'Chikan', 'Chikin' or 'Chikeen'. It means a kind of cloth wrought with needle-work. Chikan work has very light, gossamer - like quality. It has a certain grace and elegance, which ensures that it never goes out of style. The beautiful wife of the Mughal Emperor - Jahangir, Princess Mehr-Un-Nissa or Noor-Jehan as she was fondly called is considered as the pioneer of this craft.

Free Elegance considers in its most important projects the education of the consumers related to the risk of wearing cotton clothes that are not organically grown and the high amount of health dangers we are exposed to by the penetration of these chemicals present in the cotton into our body by the touch of cotton garments.

One of our major and foremost targets this year is to procure Organic Cotton yarn and process it into fabric. The focus this year is on identifying and set ting up supply of organic cotton yarn.

This is of extreme importance because Free Elegance identifies its major product Certified Organic Cotton Hand Woven Fabrics dyed with certified vegetable dyes.

Organic cotton is grown using different methods than conventional cotton. To be considered “organic,” growers, producers, and manufacturers must follow a strict set of guidelines outlined in the Organic Foods Production Act. Everything about the process, from the soil the cotton is grown in to the way that it is harvested and processed, is inspected carefully. If any of the standards or guidelines are not met, then the cotton cannot be certified as organic.

Presently, there are areas in India and the world where the transformation has already begun and various crops are being grown organically. As this is the beginning of a revolution, it will take time till all farmers and the end users join hands and make this world a better and healthy place.

There was a time when the rhythms of daily live and labors were in harmony with the rhythms and seasons of nature. Clothes were woven without regard to time taken. Today the imperatives of cost benefit seem to have overtaken every aspect of human endeavor. The age we live in reflects this headlong compression and acceleration of time the Indian Master weavers and handloom craftsmen suffered a decline.