Water hyacinth, a freshwater weed, poses a significant threat to water bodies as it blocks sunlight and harms the aquatic ecosystem. It is particularly known as the “terror of Bengal.” This weed thrives in stagnant pond water and reduces the dissolved oxygen levels, posing a danger to aquatic life and water quality on a global scale.
Interestingly, water hyacinth is used in the country to make mats, paper, and other handicrafts. But in an innovative move, the 46-year-old Jamshedpur-resident has found a way to convert this nuisance into fusion sarees by extracting fibre from the plant. 25 kg of water hyacinth is utilized to make one fusion saree.
Befriending the water hyacinth
During his river cleaning drives with TATA Steel, the environmental engineer noticed the prevalence of water hyacinths, a significant abnormality in the rivers. These invasive plants were present in most rivers, except for flowing ones like Ganga, Godavari, and Krishna. Inspired by this observation, Gaurav decided to leave his corporate career in 2022 and establish the Swacchata Pukare Foundation, fully dedicating himself to addressing this issue.
Prior to founding the foundation, Gaurav had already begun creating handmade products such as lampshades, paper, notebooks, and mats using water hyacinth. Through his work, he discovered that the plant’s pulp contained cellulose, which could be transformed into yarn similar to jute. Collaborating with skilled weavers, he successfully fused the water hyacinth material with cotton to produce unique sarees.
How are fusion sarees made?
According to Gaurav, the process of transforming water hyacinth into fusion sarees is a laborious task. Initially, the plant’s stems are collected and left to dry in the sun for a week. During this time, the soft cover of the stem is preserved for making paper, while the pulp is utilized to extract fiber. The fiber is obtained by subjecting the pulp to hot water treatment to eliminate insects. These fibers are then converted into yarn, which is dyed in various colors. Skilled weavers weave the yarn into sarees using handlooms, requiring approximately three to four days to complete one saree. Gaurav proudly asserts that this product is truly one-of-a-kind in the world.
Due to the intensive nature of the work, Gaurav maintains a ratio of 25:75 between water hyacinth and cotton. Increasing the ratio would necessitate extracting a larger number of stems, thereby raising the production cost, which currently stands at Rs 1,200 per saree. The cost varies depending on the fineness of the fiber. To ensure affordability for middle-income groups, the sarees are priced at Rs 2,000–3,500. Gaurav mentions that while a saree made entirely from water hyacinth would be weaker in strength, they plan to incorporate 50 percent water hyacinth to enhance sustainability.
Empowering rural women
Through his efforts, Gaurav has provided employment opportunities to approximately 10 weaver families from Santipur village in West Bengal, uplifting their economic conditions. In Santipur, where almost every household is involved in handloom saree making, many weaver families were compelled to seek alternative jobs due to inadequate income. Gaurav reveals that these families would earn no more than Rs 500 for four days of demanding work.
Gaurav clarifies that their objective is not solely focused on earning profits from saree making. Rather, their aim is to enhance the livelihoods of the weavers, ensuring they remain motivated and committed to their craft. Additionally, Gaurav has successfully empowered over 450 rural women who are engaged in collecting water hyacinths from water bodies and processing them before delivering them to the weavers.
Gaurav finds fulfillment in this initiative, as it allows him to live with purpose. Rather than retiring from his corporate job without making a substantial impact, he now has the opportunity to support numerous families through his work. Gaurav considers this a remarkable moment and expresses his intention to increase the number of employed women from 450 to hundreds of thousands.
