Author(s): Nupur Srivastava and Dr. Deepali Rastogi

Abstract:
Girardinia diversifolia, commonly known as the Himalayan Nettle is a naturally available wild shrub found abundantly in the foothills of Himalayas. According to the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, Himalayan Nettle is the longest fiber and is considered finer, stronger, and more elastic than linen. This new trend to use the Nettle fiber for textile purpose has been driven by concern over the environmental damage caused by the processing of synthetic fibers and fabrics. The morphological, physical, and mechanical characterization of G. diversifolia fibres in different research studies provide encouraging results, indicating a substantial superiority of Himalayan Nettle fibers compared to other common textile bast fibres. The development of this fiber would create work and income for many local populations and bring a durable and sustainable textile to market. This study aims to provide an unprecedented investigation and documentation on traditional extraction technique, processing and the units involved in production of Himalayan nettle fibres in Uttarakhand.