Lucknow: Yawar Ali Shah, Co-founder and CEO of AMA Herbal Group was honoured with the ‘Green Champion of the Year’ Award 2024 at the Sustainable NXT Awards 2024 organised by Apparel Resources in Gurugram. The honour was given for the remarkable contribution made by him and his team towards environmental conservation and sustainable development. In particular, his efforts to promote the use of natural dyes in the textile industry were recognised.
Shah described his success as the result of the collective effort of his team and their 27-year-long journey. He described it as a cricket match, in which a strong start and playing with patience are the keys to success. His team aimed to bring natural dyes into the mainstream and encourage their industrial use. For this, cutting-edge technology like “Extract Form of Natural Dyes” was developed, which makes the dyeing process faster and more effective.
He developed sustainable colours using natural and industrial wastes by adopting the principle of “Best out of the Waste”. His team launched the first organically derived liquid natural indigo called ‘Bio Indigo T M Trademark’, which is a significant milestone for the industry. Along with this, innovation was done to reduce the dyeing process of natural colours from 2-3 days to only 4-5 hours. These products have received international certifications like GOTS Version 7.0 and ZDHC Level 3.
Shah also appreciated the contribution of his team and said, “A player alone cannot do anything. Our R&D team has developed new methods to ensure stability, intensity of natural colours and their compatibility with different types of machines.”
AMA Herbal Group has also encouraged Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as poverty eradication, hunger eradication, availability of clean water, and action on climate change through its sustainable approach. Organic farming is being promoted through ‘Amazing Farms’, which is saving water and energy as well as providing economic benefits to the farmers.
This journey has also been appreciated at international forums. His research papers presented at ITMA 2023, Milan underlined the importance of energy-efficient natural dyeing and circular production. Also, his efforts were featured in Dun & Bradstreet’s “Leading SMEs in India” report.
The “ET Jewel-Leadership Excellence Award” received in 2024 and the “Times Business Award” of 2023 are a testimony to his innovations and commitment. This journey of Shah and his team shows that when sustainable development and dedication go together, even the impossible can be made possible. The collective vision of his team proves how continuous efforts in the right direction can translate into great success.
