Indian Textiles, Cotton & Silk, Cashmere Wool

Gujarat & Punjab Embroidery, Tie & Dye, Batik & Printed Fabrics

Jun 21, 2009

Based on ancient skills and cultural values, India's traditional textiles are rich, varied and acclaimed by fashion houses across the world.

Traced back to early tribes in the Indus Valley, Indian textiles have blossomed for thousands of years, fostered by social ethics, abundant labour and raw material. They are mentioned in old Hindu epics, were found in Egyptian tombs and traded along the silk route long before the British arrived.

Every region in India has developed an individual style, shaped by tradition and location. The hills are rich in wool, the southern coast favours cotton and silk. Colours vary, dazzling, pastel or white, but from batik to printed fabric, from embroidery in Gujarat or the Punjab to the Rajasthan or Kutch tie and dye, the finest textiles are produced across the country.

Cotton has been used in India for 5000 years. West Bengal is known for tightly woven Jamdani saris, Chanderi for fine wraps with silk warp and cotton weft. Nander saris are enhanced with gold thread and a silk border while in Kerala, the Karalkudi saris of unbleached cotton have a wide gold border.

Silk fabrics from Varanasi are enriched with gold brocade and praised world wide. Brocade is also a speciality in Gujarat where items are woven for temple and personal use. Tanjore in Tamil Nadu produces fabulous wedding saris.

Top of India’s woollen weaves are Cashmere shawls, such as the intricate Kani and the Santoosh from the wool of wild Pashmina goats. Shawls from the Himalaya often display Buddhist symbols.

India’s ethnic embroidery is usually women’s work with patterns reflecting their daily life. Women embroider clothes for family use, special occasions, religious ornaments and decorations for pack animals.

Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat display a wide range of skills, from appliqué to pin size mirror and bead work. Beads are woven with needle and thread and used in fashion accessories and home decorations. Both districts also make colourful appliqué quilts.

Other reputed centres include the Punjab for its highly skilled Phulkari embroidery and the hills of Himachal Pradesh for the double-sided embroidery of Chamba Rumal.

Rajasthan and Kutch Tie and Dye, Batik and Printed Fabric in India

Bandhani, or tie and dye fabrics, are achieved by outlining the patterns with a multitude of tiny knots before dyeing. It’s highly skilled work, mostly practised in Rajasthan and in the Saurashtra and Kutch districts. The traditional Gharchola wedding saris are tied and dyed in Kutch.

Batik involves applying dye one colour at a time from light to dark, protecting other areas with molten wax. Printing can also be achieved with the use of a dye fixing substance. Printed fabrics are found in Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The copyright of the article Indian Textiles, Cotton & Silk, Cashmere Wool in India Travel is owned by Solange Hando. Permission to republish Indian Textiles, Cotton & Silk, Cashmere Wool in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.