Let me tell you a bit of history about the block printing technique, since I want you to fall in love with it as much as I am in love with it. Block printing is the making of hand printed textiles by the use of carved wooden blocks dipped in natural dyes. It is a beautiful tradition passed generation by generation and preserved by a few people in India.
Maharajah Jai Singh II was a patron of the arts and during his rule skilled craftsmen were invited to settle in Jaipur with secured livelihood, and freedom to create beautiful textiles by hand. It was the golden age of block printing. However, during the industrial revolution, the invention of chemical dyes and machinery, the handicrafts were replaced by machines, and an art form nearly lost.
Today 2 main villages remain vital contributors preserving the inherited knowledge of natural dye techniques. Hand printing and block carving continue to be passed down from generation to generation. We are inspired by this art form, it’s imperfections, the dyes bleeding slightly into the fabric, and the small white spaces that give the fabric such a special movement and dynamic feel, that’s why we are committed to preserving this art form and we invite you to fall in love with it.
Some ways you can easily identify block print:
- The dye is not perfect, it bleeds and falls outside of the lines.
- The colors may vary as the dyes are all natural and prepare by hand.
- There are areas with white, in which the dye didn’t perfectly fit, or was not applied.
Shop our block print collection HERE