Ajrakh, Dabu and Telia
What the words on the label actually mean. Learn these once and no machine-printed copy will fool you again, at our counter or anywhere else.
What is Ajrakh?
Ajrakh is a resist-printing craft from Kutch in Gujarat, several centuries old. Carved wooden blocks stamp a resist paste onto cotton, the cloth is dyed, and the stamping and dyeing repeat in stages. The pattern is built up over many passes, which is why an Ajrakh cloth has a depth a single printed pass cannot copy.
What is Dabu, and how is mud-resist printing done?
Dabu is a mud-resist craft from Rajasthan. A paste of mud is block printed onto the cloth and left to dry, the cloth goes into the dye, and the dye takes everywhere the mud is not. The mud is then washed away. Small irregularities where the paste cracked are part of the result, not a flaw in it.
What is Telia cotton?
Telia is a double ikat tradition from Telangana. The yarn is treated and dyed before weaving, so the pattern lives in the thread rather than on the surface. Both warp and weft carry it, which is why the motifs have that soft blurred edge. You will also see it sold as Telia Rumal.
What is Bhagalpuri silk?
Bhagalpur in Bihar has woven silk for a very long time and is often called the silk city. Its best known cloth is tussar, a wild silk with a natural gold tone and a drier, more textured hand than mulberry silk. Blended Bhagalpuri silks keep that character while adding fibres that make the cloth lighter to wear.
What is tussar silk, and what does blended tussar mean?
Tussar is a wild silk. It is less uniform than mulberry silk, warmer in colour, and it holds its shape rather than clinging. Blended tussar keeps the grain and the look while adding softness and drape, which makes it far easier to wear for a full day. Both are honest descriptions, and a label should say which it is.
What is the difference between mulmul and ordinary cotton?
Mulmul is a very fine, loosely woven cotton, the cloth once known in English as muslin. It is lighter and more open than everyday cotton, which is what makes it so cool to wear and so soft after a few washes. It creases more readily, and that is the trade you make for the lightness.
What is tant, and how do Dhonekhali and Fulia differ?
Tant is the general name for Bengal's handwoven cotton. Dhonekhali, also spelled Dhaniakhali, comes from Hooghly district and is the sturdier of the two: a compact weave with a thick contrasting border, made for daily wear. Fulia in Nadia district weaves softer and lighter, with finer and more intricate patterning.
How can you tell a hand block print from a machine print?
Look at where one block meets the next. A hand-printed repeat never lines up perfectly, so you will find small overlaps and gaps along the length. Look at the back of the cloth too: a hand block print soaks through and shows on the reverse, while a surface print mostly sits on the front.
Does a saree come with a blouse piece?
Many do, and where one is included we will say so. We also offer blouse stitching, so a piece bought here can be measured and made without going anywhere else.
How should a handloom cotton saree be washed?
Wash it separately in cold water the first few times, because natural dyes give up a little colour early on. Use a mild detergent, do not wring it hard, and dry it in shade rather than direct sun. Store it folded, and change the folds now and then so a crease never becomes permanent.
Any of this is a better conversation with the cloth in your hands. We are on the second floor at Hollowmere Mall, Parkside.