KNOW YOUR FABRICS

TRADITIONAL HANDCRAFTED FABRICS

Handcrafted fabrics often involve traditional techniques and processes that have been passed down through generations. These techniques can include hand weaving, hand block printing, hand embroidery, tie-dyeing, and more. The use of these traditional methods preserves cultural heritage and connects us to the rich history of craftsmanship. They often employ natural materials, such as organic fibers and natural dyes (no chemical dyes are used in our fabric printings)

HANDBLOCKPRINT

Sanganeri handblock printing is a traditional textile printing technique that originated in the town of Sanganer in the Jaipur district of Rajasthan, India. It is renowned for its intricate hand-block printed designs on fabrics, particularly cotton.

Skilled artisans create intricate designs inspired by nature, geometric patterns, flowers, and other motifs. These designs are then transferred onto wooden blocks. The designs are meticulously carved onto wooden blocks by hand. The fabric, usually cotton, is washed and prepared for the printing process to ensure optimal absorption of dyes.. The artisans dip the wooden blocks into natural dyes and carefully stamp them onto the fabric. Once the printing is complete, the fabric is dried under the sun to allow the colors to set. Some Sanganeri handblock prints undergo additional treatments, such as washing with specific substances, to enhance the colors or create a unique finish.

Bagru handblock printing is another traditional textile printing technique that originates from the village of Bagru in Rajasthan, India. Like Sanganeri handblock printing, Bagru handblock printing is known for its intricate designs and use of natural dyes on fabrics, particularly cotton.

Mud resist dyeing, also known as "Dabu" or "Dabu printing," is a traditional fabric dyeing technique that involves applying a resist paste made from mud or clay to create intricate patterns on textiles. Once the fabric is readied for duiyng, a mixture of clay or mud, along with other natural materials like gum or adhesive substances, is prepared to create a resist paste. This paste acts as a barrier to prevent the dye from penetrating the fabric in specific areas. This paste is applied in different motifs using the wooden blocks. The fabric is then submerged into a natural dye bath. The dye permeates the areas not covered by the resist paste, creating a colored pattern. Once the fabric is fully dried, the mud like resist paste is scraped off or washed away, revealing the pattern created by the contrasting colors of the dyed and undyed areas.

KALAMKARI

Kalamkari, also known as Qalamkari, is a traditional Indian textile art form that involves hand-painting or block-printing designs on cotton or silk fabrics. The word "Kalamkari" is derived from the Persian words "qalam" (pen) and "kari" (craftsmanship), which signifies the use of a pen-like instrument to create intricate designs. Kalamkari fabrics are known for their vibrant colors, intricate detailing, and the use of natural dyes. There are two main techniques used in Kalamkari: Srikalahasti style and Machilipatnam style

Machilipatnam style: This technique involves block printing. Artisans carve intricate designs onto wooden blocks, which are then used to apply the dyes onto the fabric. This method allows for greater precision and repetition of designs.

AJRAKH

Ajrakh is a traditional textile printing technique and art form that originated in the regions of Sindh, Kutch, and Rajasthan in the Indian subcontinent. The word "Ajrakh" is derived from the Arabic word "Azrak," which means blue. However, Ajrakh prints are not limited to blue color; they also incorporate red, black, and other earthy tones.

The Ajrakh printing process involves several stages of dyeing and resist printing. Here is a general overview of the traditional Ajrakh printing process:

Preparing the fabric: The fabric, usually cotton or silk, is washed to remove any impurities and prepared for the printing process.
Block carving: Artisans meticulously carve intricate designs onto wooden blocks. These designs are usually geometric patterns, including stars, flowers, and paisley motifs. Each block is carved to represent a specific color or design element.
Resist printing: The fabric is treated with a resist paste made from natural materials such as gum arabic, lime, and clay. The resist paste is applied using the wooden blocks, which creates a barrier and prevents dye penetration in the areas to be preserved.
First dyeing: The fabric is soaked in a natural dye bath, typically indigo, which imparts a blue color. The areas not covered by the resist paste absorb the dye, while the paste-covered areas remain unaffected.
Washing and drying: After the first dyeing, the fabric is washed to remove the resist paste and excess dye. It is then dried under the sun.
Second resist printing: The fabric is once again printed with the resist paste, this time using different blocks and colors.
Second dyeing: The fabric is immersed in another natural dye bath, typically a deep red color obtained from madder root. The dye penetrates the areas that are not covered by the resist paste, resulting in a multi-colored design.
Washing and drying: The fabric is washed again to remove the resist paste and excess dye. It is dried to complete the process.

The Ajrakh printing technique is known for its symmetry, precision, and intricate patterns. It requires great skill and expertise from the artisans who practice this art form.

POCHAMPALLY IKAT

Pochampally Ikat, also known as Pochampally tie-dye or Pochampally Patola, is a traditional handloom weaving technique that originates from the village of Pochampally in Telangana, India. It is renowned for its intricate geometric patterns and vibrant colors. The distinguishing feature of Pochampally Ikat is the "ikat" dyeing technique used to create the patterns on the yarn before weaving. Ikat involves resist-dyeing the yarn in specific areas to create patterns, and then weaving the dyed yarn to form the fabric. The patterns are formed by the precise alignment of dyed and undyed yarn during the weaving process.

The process of creating Pochampally Ikat fabric typically involves the following steps:

Design creation: Skilled artisans create intricate designs on graph paper, depicting the desired pattern and color combinations.
Yarn preparation: The yarn, usually silk or cotton, is carefully tied and dyed in sections using natural or synthetic dyes. The tied sections resist the dye and remain undyed, creating the desired pattern.
Warp and weft setting: The dyed yarn is then carefully aligned and set on the loom as warp (lengthwise threads) and weft (crosswise threads) for weaving.
Weaving: The weaver meticulously follows the predetermined design, carefully interlacing the warp and weft threads to create the fabric with the desired pattern. The alignment of the dyed sections in the warp and weft creates the intricate designs and motifs characteristic of Pochampally Ikat.
Finishing: Once the weaving is complete, the fabric is carefully washed to remove any excess dye or sizing, and then it is dried.

Pochampally Ikat fabrics are known for their rich and vibrant colors, geometric patterns, and the characteristic "blurriness" or slight feathering effect in the patterns due to the ikat dyeing technique.