Jaipur Indigo: A Living Heritage of Block Printing

In a small, busy village not far from the majestic Rajput city of Jaipur, there is a family textile workshop using traditional, sustainable dyeing techniques. Fabrics dry in the sun, watched over by a few cows, while the artisans start new projects in the workshop.

The textiles are decorated with a resist-dyeing technique. The patterns are applied with block stamps, using a local mix of mud and gum, then covered with sawdust.

They are then dried and dyed in vats in the garden. The mud mix is then removed, revealing the pattern that escaped the dye. In this workshop, the natural colors are sourced in the region.

Block printing is an ancient craft tradition that has thrived for centuries in the Jaipur region, especially in the villages of Bagru and Sanganer. In Bagru, artisans use natural dyes and the "dabu" technique: a mud-based resist method applied with hand-carved wooden stamps. After dyeing, the mud is washed out, revealing the preserved patterns.

In Sanganer, the patterns are often finer and more colorful, printed on a light background with plant dyes or sometimes chemical ones. Each print needs great precision so the patterns line up perfectly, which shows the exceptional skill passed down from generation to generation.

Our textiles dyed here are handwoven khadi, made in another village by a cooperative of weavers a few hours to the west...

The cotton we use is not bleached, which means it is not treated with chemicals to create an even color before dyeing. This is an important factor in our choice of producers, because the chemicals used to treat textiles can harm the environment.

It takes effort at every step of production to choose a more environmentally friendly way of making things.

Today this craft is not only a strong cultural symbol of Rajasthan but also a pillar of the local economy. It is seeing renewed interest, especially in ethical and sustainable fashion movements worldwide.