ABOUT US

HAND BLOCK PRINTING 

The traditional process of Hand block printing on textiles, with rich natural colors, has been practiced in Rajasthan for around 500 years.  Block printing was introduced to the Jaipur region of Rajasthan by the Chhipa community.  This community was originally located in Bagru Village, an area now famous for its vegetable dye and mud resist (dabu) block prints.  The art of block printing has been passed down for generations within families and communities and has branched out in recent decades to other regions such as Sanganer, near Jaipur. 

The colors are dependent on the quality of the plants, the water, skill, and knowledge of the printing masters.  In more recent forms of block printing, such as those practiced in Sanganer, colors are mixed using AZO free pigment color with a binder.

We situated in Sanganer, we work at our own facility using AZO free, eco-friendly, pigment colors with our own print designs. The advantage of ‘modern’ synthetic dyes is that they are colorfast, easier to make, and machine washable. 
Established in 2022, To helps denote genuine Indian handicrafts, develop sector-wide minimum standards and norms for labeling a product as a handicrafts product, and increase consumer awareness of distinct handicraft traditions.

HAND BLOCK PRINTING PROCESS 

Block prints, are, by nature, hand-done.  The slight color variation within a print run and across different print runs if printed at different times or in different seasons, is a natural part of the process.  It is an attribute appreciated by those who value the uniqueness of artisan textiles. Our Color master prepares the colors which will be used in printing.  The colors are then poured into wooden trays which use a handmade mesh as a spongy surface to help spread the color evenly across the bottom of the block. The printer stamps the block in the color tray each time, then stamps the block onto the fabric to form the repeat pattern.  The colors shown are AZO free, eco-friendly synthetic colors that are used in Sanganer printing.

 

Each color pattern is stamped individually onto the fabric; the process takes skill and time, as the pattern must be stamped repeatedly across the fabric, color by color. The slight human irregularities — inevitable in handwork — create the artistic effect emblematic of block prints. The final outcome of this intricate labor is a timeless beauty, and every garment made from this fabric is unique.

  

The printing master must carefully align each block as he prints, using the ‘guide’ carved on the left edge of the block as his marker.  Each printer has a slightly different style which is considered his ‘signature’ look.  The printing master must then follow the same pattern of aligning the blocks with each color layered onto the design.  The subtle gaps and overlaps are a beautiful reminder of the handwork and give block printing its iconic look.  All prints exemplify this aesthetic and have a subtle pattern of light/dark across the design.


Why support Artisans?

With over 23 million craftspeople, the crafts sector is the second largest employer in India. Many communities in India depend on their craft skills as a source of income. The craft sector keeps rural communities alive, sustains families, and allows children to gain an education. Supporting the craft sector breathes life into a heritage that is over 4,000 years old. It maintains the transfer of valuable traditional knowledge from elders to youths and master craftspeople to students. Buying hand-made products delivers livelihood to millions of skilled craftspeople that proudly create unique, high-quality products by hand. Above all, in an evolving global village where homogenous products dominate our lifestyles, handmade products stand apart in their distinctiveness and cultural reference. Thus, the purchase of handmade products not only allows consumers to buy quality products but also maintains a connection with their culture.