Fabrics
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Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique in which wax is applied to the cloth by a block stamp, also known as a cap, or drawn on with a spouted tool called a tjanting. Because the wax resists the dye, an artisan can dip the cloth in one color, melt or scrape sections of the wax and dye the cloth again to achieve unique patterns and prints. |
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Ikat is a resist dyeing technique that is applied to yarns before they are woven creating a beautiful blur. Unlike batik or tie dye in which the cloth is bound, tied and dyed, the ikat process includes resist yarn dyeing, lining up yarns to create the desired pattern, and hand weaving the yarns together all resulting in an exquisite piece of fabric. |
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Jamdani is a weft technique of weaving that dates all the way back to the 3rd century BC and is traditionally woven in and around Dhaka, Bangladesh on a brocade loom. Derived from the Persian words 'Jam', meaning flower, and 'Dani', a vase or a container, Jamdani is named for its ornate patterns. |
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Jacquard is a style of weaving that produces figured and brocaded fabric that is made with an attachment called a jacquard. With increased versatility and ease of control, the jacquard attaches to any loom and raises the independent warp threads to create intricately textured patterns. The jacquard was invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard as an alternative to the time-intensive draw loom predominantly used in the 1700s. |
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Kantha is an embroidery technique practiced in Bangladesh and other parts of eastern South Asia. Most commonly used to stitch old saris together to create shawls or pillows, the style of kantha ranges from simple running stitches to geometric shapes and detailed floral motifs. The stitches employ a slightly wrinkled, wavy effect on the cloth. |
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Khadi is hand-woven cloth most commonly hand-spun on a spinning wheel called a charkha. The process of khadi is also a movement and ideology started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to promote Indian goods and self-reliance. |
