Known for its dry landscape, men wearing large colorful turbans, and women dressed in intricate colorful dresses, the land of Kutch is home to generations of artists. Surrounded by the ocean on one side, and the huge salt dessert, this was once a major trade hub where people of all cultures, faiths, and languages met to exchange goods.

They lived in an area where water was precious, food was scarce, and the elements hostile. Yet, this melting pot of culture brought alive a plethora of fascinating artistic expressions.

Today, the locals carry age-old art and tradition with them, as they create weaves that are handed down from the roots of their ancestors. The exquisite creations are so vivid and vibrant, in contrast to the arid landscape and simple life of Kutch.

This is a time honored art, said to have originated around 3rd century BC! It is a highly laborious weave, which is created only in these parts of the world by artists that are specialized.

Today it is done on muslin, silk, and linen cloth. It is a completely eco-friendly art, using manual tools and methods. Each product is carefully hand crafted, using hand and foot tools. Depending on the design, it may take two full time weavers more than one year to complete a single piece!

Jamdani is a tradition art form of Bengal. It is created using handloom woven fabric made of very fine cotton, also referred to as muslin. “Jam” means flower, while “dani” means vase. It is perhaps the most artistic textile of the Bengal/Bangladeshi weavers. Created on the brocade loom, Jamdani is knows for its amazingly rich motifs.

Every weft motif is introduced separately by hand, interlacing the weft threads into the warp with delicate bamboo sticks attached to individual spools of thread. These vibrant islands of color float on the white or grey fine muslin background, coming to life every time the cloth moves.

To make it even grander, sometimes a mixture of cotton and gold thread is used. The muslin is so shear that weaving this is very difficult. The artist works slowly and carefully as the pattern is made directly on the loom.  Amazingly, there is no outline or sketch on the fabric. As a guide the pattern is drawn on graph paper and placed under the warp.

Batik is a 2000 year old art form that originated in Indoseia, Malayasia, Japan, and India. The word Batik comes from “Ambatik”, which means ‘wax writing’. Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique which is applied to the full cloth. A series of dots and lines of the resist are drawn with a spout called a canting or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called cap. The wax resists the dyes, allowing the artist to color selectively by soaking the cloth in a color, and then removing the wax with boiling water. The process is repeated for multiple colors.

Batik is done in one of three ways. The splash method, the screen printing method, and the hand painting (Kalamkari pen). Each of the techniques yield very different results, allowing the artist to render a different effect based on the design.

As the artwork is created by hand, as opposed to being woven by thread, it renders a much higher level of sophistication and detailing. This makes every product a unique one, filled with the creativity of that particular artist. This makes it a much more personal creation for the artist.

FINE COTTON

The striking yet fine patterns created by batik makes it quite distinctive. The signature look comes from the wax cracking on the fabric.  Batik was once known as a sign of sophistication. The delicate motifs of flowers, birds, and geometric patterns made the person wearing it stand out. Batik printed fabrics are known for their longevity, and often passed down a family heirlooms.

The 100 count finest cotton is hand spun to create a fabric that is soft, light, and easy to wear. It breathes beautifully against the skin, and has a malleability that makes it perfect for a stole. The plain cloth is transformed when the colors and patterns are added.