Artisan

Our most eco-conscious style, Mulberry silk is handwoven and hand printed by a team of talented artists. We begin with silk that is 100% organic/vegan and ethically sourced to ensure no silk worms are harmed during the harvesting process. Feasting only on mulberry leaves, this silk is among the finest, strongest and color rich fabrics that exists. Bold, graphic designs are then created by an inspired female Indian designer before her team of  talented artists embark on a multi-step, traditional handmade process of printing. Each inspirational design can take 10-15 days to complete. As with all handmade products, slight imperfections and variations may exists and not considered flaws, rather a sign of their unique handmade nature.

Hand printing is an ancient technique used to create intricate designs for repetitively printing patterns. There are two methods of hand printing - using carved wooden blocks or stenciled mesh screens. Each method requires that the design be broken down by color. A wooden block or mesh screen is created for each part of the design and then color is applied one layer at a time. You can create simple designs of only 1-3 colors or complete designs comprised of many, many layers. The repetitive nature of hand printing is labor intensive and takes the precision of skilled artisans to create. Slight variations are indicative of their unique, handmade nature and you will want to embrace the beauty of these uniquely crafted textiles!

Hand weaving is an integral part of India life with a rural textile industry consisting of over 4 million families. In a small village on the Ganges River in West Bengal, live a cluster of extraordinary weavers with whom we work. Most people here have propagated their craft for generations. From dying and spinning of the yards, the winding of the bobbins and preparing the looms, the hand weaving process is a multi-step, labor intensive, collaborative endeavor. With great expertise, handloom weavers begin by interlace two distinct yarns to set the loom shafts. This is a two-person job often done outside in good lighting and good weather. It is meticulous work that takes great eye strain and finger manipulation. Later these are used in the pit looms where it can take a day ore more to weave the actual fabrics.  This hand woven technique is labor intensive but results in superior fabrics with a special hand feel. Printing the final designs is done by hand, and washing and finishing works follows.  The creation of each piece requires many hours & involves many members of a community but despite the challenges, the result is a truly unique and stunning design.

Beautiful designs are artfully created through the handmade process of tie and dye. Complex designs are achieved through a combination of select tying, dying and hand printing such as screen or block printing. Each process achieves different printing results. Master artisans from the Jaipur region of India are experts in the handmade techniques. Batik is a resist process of dying in which wax (instead of string) is used to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving crackled lines & areas. Artisans use a repeated wax and dye process to achieve our coveted, sophisticated designs.