Lac is the hardened resin, secreted by the tiny lac insect belonging to a bug family. Lac insects suck the host plant sap and grow, and secret lac resin from their bodies. The secreted resin forms continuous encrustations over the twigs of the host trees. These host trees does not include the whole range, but just a few form the suitable hosts for these insects. The major hosts trees are Scheleichera oleosa, Butea monosperma and Zizyphus mauritiana.

Lac has been in use in India since the Vedic period. Reference of the same could be found in vedas. The Atharvaveda contains complete information about lac, its production and uses. The great Indian epic Mahabharata has an account of the Lackh griha, house made using lac. Since ancient times, lac has been used for various purposes. Lac yields lac dye and lac wax also along with lac resin. Their uses have changed and grown with time. Lac resin and dye still find place in medical therapies of Ayurveda. Lac products have also occupied an important and firm place in interiors and grooming world of show biz.

Cultivation of lac is done by placing female insects, which are about to give birth to young larvae, on host plants. After emergence from the mother cells, the young larvae settle on the fresh twigs of the host plants, suck the plant sap to grow and secrete resin. The twigs containing these encrustations are harvested after they are fully grown to extract the lac resin. Lac encrustations are removed from the twigs of host plants by scraping. The raw lac thus obtained requires processing before it could be put to any other use.

The raw lac is crushed into small grains, sieved, washed with mild alkaline water and dried. This semi-refined product is further refined by a system of hot melting, filtration and stretching into thin and brittle sheets. If a solvent process is used to purify the raw lac, dewaxed, decolorized lac can be obtained as the end product. The resin can also be bleached with sodium hypochlorite to obtain bleached lac, which is white in color. Bleached lac has specialized demand as it is used in eatables.

India is the principal lac producing country of the world. Beside forming a major portion of exports, lac is put to number of uses in india also. Used in food processing industry, cosmetics and toiletries industry, varnish and printing industry, coating of fruits and vegetables , electrical industry, leather industry, adhesive industry, pharmaceutical industry, perfumery industry, textile industry, polishes (shoe, floor, car polishes), lipsticks, crayons etc.

Bangles and handicrafts made from lac are in much demand in the country and outside also. Variously colored bangles are ornamented with diamond pieces and are an important part of fashion accessories. It goes well with the traditional wear as sari and lehnga and eyecatching and a wonderful contrast with western wear as jeans and skirts. Full sets with earrings and necklace sets are irresistible and form a perfect match for each dress. Small boxes of various shapes and sizes, photo frames, buttons, bathroom accessories, office accessories are products. These products are well ornamented with glass pieces, beads, etc. add to the beauty of a house and grace of an office.

With increasing environment awareness, the lac has assumed a special place in today's world. It is eco-friendly , biodegradable and self- sustaining natural material. Also, as lac insects are cultured on host trees, promotion of lac and its culture helps in eco-system development as well as reasonably high economic returns.