Traditional block printing, not machine made
Hand block printing, the traditional craft of Jaipur
Every hand block print starts as a carved wooden block and ends drying in the sun. Here is how it is made, and how to tell it from a machine print.
From block to bed
- The block is carvedA carver cuts the motif into seasoned wood, one block for every colour in the design.
- The colour is mixedEach shade is mixed in small batches at the print table.
- The cloth is printed by handThe printer presses the block onto the cotton repeat by repeat, lining each one up by eye.
- Washed and sun-driedThe cloth is washed to set the colour, then dried in the sun.
- 120+
- master artisans
- 100%
- percale cotton
- 0
- middlemen markups
Sanganer
On the southern edge of Jaipur, Sanganer is known for fine florals and buti printed on light grounds. Its hand block printing is a registered Geographical Indication.
Bagru
About 30 km from Jaipur, Bagru is known for earthy colours, indigo grounds and dabu, a mud-resist technique. Its hand block printing is also a registered Geographical Indication.
How to spot hand blockLook where one stamp meets the next. Tiny overlaps, gaps or a shift in colour show a hand at work. A machine repeats perfectly every time.