Artisan Made Fabric – JUGALBANDHI

Block Printing

Block printing, the age-old craft of dyeing and colouring a fabric is known to have existed in India since the 12th century. It is a craft that Indians hold close to their heart with pride. Although a labour-intensive craft, with the creation of block itself taking almost fifteen days to be perfected, it is an absolute favorite for all generations alike. We work with traditional hand block printing clusters to create unique creations that blend traditional craftsmanship for the modern day.

TYPES OF BLOCK PRINTS

BAGRU

A beautiful form of block printing that originated in Rajasthan, Bagru reflects the beauty of handcrafted Indian textiles coupled with contemporary style. Dyed fabric is stamped with the beautiful designs known as blocks. The base color of the fabric is usually the dull shades such as white, cream and beige and natural colors. After printing, the cloth is left for drying in the sun for a final touch-up.

AJRAKH

Known for complex geometric and floral patterns, Ajrakh is a unique block printing technique found mostly in Sindh, Pakistan and Ajrakhpur, Kutch district of India. It is created through a complicated process that involves fourteen stages from washing, dyeing, printing to drying. Derived from the word Azrak which means blue in Arabic, the predominant colour of the printing technique is blue.

DABU

Originating from Rajasthan, Dabu print is an ancient hand block printing technique known for distinctive beauty. The process of printing technique is quite complicated with multiple steps involved. What makes the print unique is the application of ‘dabu’ or mud resist that is made with a combination of mud, gum, lime and waste wheat chaff. The motifs created usually are nature-inspired or geometric forms.

INDIGO

Crafted mostly in Rajasthan, Indigo dyed block printing technique dates back to 18th century. Cotton fabric is initially applied with wax resist using hand carved wooden blocks. It is then dyed in natural indigo obtained from the indigo plant. After dyeing, the areas of wax application remain white creating beautiful patterns against the indigo background.

KALAMKARI

An ancient style of printing technique, Kalamkari derives its name from a persian word where ‘kalam ‘means pen and ‘kari’ refers to craftsmanship. The art involves twenty tedious steps of dyeing, bleaching, hand painting, block printing, starching, cleaning and more. Motifs drawn in created spans from flowers, peacock, paisleys to divine characters of Hindu epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.

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