‘Living Colours: Kasane’ – an exhibition on Yoshioka Dyeing Workshop

Posted on June 11, 2019 by Toothpicker

When I returned from Asia, I managed to book myself onto the curator’s tour of the “Living Colours: Kasane – the Language of Japanese Colour Combinations” exhibition at Japan House. The exhibition explores the natural dyed textile work of the Yoshioka Dyeing Workshop in Kyoto. Due to my interest in natural dyeing, it prompted me to pay a visit to Yoshioka‘s small shop Somenotsukasa Yoshioka in Kyoto last year (see photos at the bottom), hence I was particularly keen to see this exhibition.

The exhibition focused on the ancient art of kasane, the creation of Japanese colour combinations based on the changing seasons in Japan, using natural dye techniques. Master Sachio Yoshioka is the 5th-generation dyer of the 200-year old family-run company, while his daughter Sarasa also co-runs the workshop.

Kasane is the layering of colours seen in formal kimonos worn by the aristocratic women of the courts during the Heian period in Japan (794-1185 CE). The hand and plant-dyed silk kimonos were made up of three, five, or up to eight layers, with each layer reflecting the colours of the natural world around them, such as cherry blossom, or an important occasion or the wearer’s rank.

Japan’s oldest record of natural dyeing was also compiled during this period in early 10th century in books called Engishiki, which describe royal rituals, customs, and clothing, including dye ingredients used for particular colors.

With the help of pre-19th century historical documents and textile samples, Yoshioka was able to recreate the palette of the Japanese court and revived this an anicent craft from the brink of extinction.

When I did the indigo textiles dyeing workshop in Japan last year, I learned that the traditional kimono industry is rapidly declining, and craftsmen working in the industry are struggling to preserve their important heritage and craftsmanship. Hence, what Yoshioka doing is not only reviving an ancient craft, but an industry that is in crisis.

Aside from textiles, Kasane was also used in paper. Members of the Heian court often wrote and exchanged poems between lovers on dyed fans or several sheets of seasonally coloured paper.

The most famous Japanese literature from the Heian period is “The Tale of Genji”, which is often referred to as the world’s first novel. Written by a noble women from the 11th century, the novel depicts the lives of courtiers during the time. Inspired by the novel, special dyed washi revealed how the layering concept applied to paper as well.

For over 40 years, Yoshioka has been taking part in the the thousand-year-old Shuni-e Buddhist ceremony held every March at the famous Todai-ji temple in Nara. Washi paper flowers dyed in red with benibana (safflower) and yellow with kuchinashi (gardenia) are offered to the Kannon (the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara) for harvest and protection for the nation. A five-coloured cord made of dyed silk yarn was also recreated at the consecration ceremony of the Great Buddha at the temple in 2002.

Based on traditional dyeing methods, Yoshioka uses 30 kinds of dyeing materials, including indigo (ai), benibana petals, murasaki-gusa (purple gromwell) roots, akane (madder) roots, acorn nuts, and leaves and stalks of kariyasu (rice grass). Meanwhile, silk, hemp, and cotton are commonly used in their work.

The Japanese are a nation particularly sensitive to the changing seasons, and their appreciation for this is reflected in their culture, habits, arts and craft.

Simon, the curator of the exhibition told us that Yoshioka wanted to show that Japanese aesthetics are not just about wabi sabi (the beauty of the transience and imperfection), and the art of kasane demonstrates an aesthetic that is vastly different.

It is encouraging to see that natural dyeing is becoming more popular in recent years, and this exhibition showcased the vivid and sensual colour palette that can be created from plants. It is time for us to reflect on the sustainability of synthetic dyes and its damaging impact on the environment.

If you missed the exhibition, you can watch this beautiful video “In Search of Forgotten Colours” on the Somenotsukasa Yoshioka dye workshop made by the V & A, which was accompanied by a small exhibition at the museum.

The “In Search of Forgotten Colours” display at the V & A museum

Somenotsukasa Yoshioka’s shop is located at 206-1 Nishinocho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto

The Mills (Part 2): Art, design & retail

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Toothpicker

One of The Mill’s main attractions is CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile) – a space dedicated to the past, current, and future of Hong Kong and Asia’s textile industry.

Welcome to the Spinning Factory! is the inaugural exhibition designed by Turner Prize winning U.K. architect collective Assemble and UK/HK design firm HATO. Set within the former cotton spinning mills of Nan Fung Textiles in Tsuen Wan, the exhibition tells the story of the cotton industry and the role it played in shaping Hong Kong’s past, present and future. The interactive exhibition features old machinery, vintage cotton products and archival documents and objects. Visitors can also experience the manual cotton-spinning process using traditional spinning instruments, and design and create cotton labels at the workshop stations.

‘Welcome to the Spinning Factory!’ exhibition at the The D. H. Chen Foundation Gallery

An interesting piece of artwork caught my eye outside of the gallery and it was a long piece of knitted textile on a table titied Fabric of CHAT. It was the work by Hong Kong-based artist/designer Movana Chen. Movana is known for her KNITerature, which combines stories by knitting books from people she encounters during her travels. When she first visited the construction site of The Mills, she discovered stacks of old discarded documents, so she shredded and knitted them into a new art form that contains the history and memories of the factory.

Fabric of CHAT by Movana Chen

CHAT’s inaugural exhibition, Unfolding : Fabric of Our Life, curated by Takahashi Mizuki showcases the works and performances by 17 contemporary Asian artists and collectives who use textile as a testimony to articulate forgotten histories and repressed lives through textile production. The thought-provoking exhibition reveals the region’s colonial capitalist exploitation through the use of fabrics and garments. One work that I found quite powerful is called ‘Day Off Mo?‘ by Filipino artist Alma Quinto, who invited Hong Kong’s Filipino domestic workers to speak out about their experiences through a video and their DIY craft book.

Dayanita Singh’s ‘Time measures’, 2016

Norberto Roldan’s ‘Incantations in the land of virgins, monsters, sorcerers and angry gods’, 1999 – 2018

Jakkai Siributr’s Fast fashion, 2015/19

Reza Afisina’s ‘Under Construction as Long as You’re Not Paying Attention’, 2018–19

Alma Quinto’s ‘Day Off Mo?’, 2018–19

I was also intrigued by Vietnamese artist Vo Tran Chau‘s ‘Leaf picking in the ancient forest’, 2018-2019. The name of the artwork is inspired by the title of a monk’s manuscript. Buddha, taking a few leaves in his hand, said to the monks: “All that I have seen and encountered are numerous, just like leaves among the grove, yet my teachings which I have revealed to you are but little, just like this handful of leaves in my palm…”.

The artist collected abandoned clothing from second-hand clothing stores to create her abstract mosaic chamber. Each quilted mosaic references historical photographs of Vietnamese textile factories and reflects the distinct cultural and political climates of North, Central and South Vietnam at different periods of time. The quilts reflect only blurred images as if a metaphor for the fate of the textile factories. Inside the chamber, one sees another side/story in these historical images.

Vo Tran Chau’s Leaf picking in the ancient forest, 2018-2019

One encouraging aspect of The Mills is that the retail outlets here differ vastly from other shopping malls in Hong Kong. Instead of international chained companies, the shops here are mostly independent and with a strong focus on sustainability.

I was glad to see that Book B (which we have worked with previously) has found a new home here. The space is inviting and it also has a nice cafe inside. I think this is one of the best independent book shops in Hong Kong, and I hope it will continue to thrive.

KoKo Coffee Roasters

Book B

Another surprise was to see a garment upcycling shop called Alt:, which is a partnership between HKRITA (The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel) and Novetex (a leading textile firm), together with funding from HKSAR government, H&M foundation and The Mills.

A garment-to-Garment (G2G) Recycle System is placed in the shop for the public to learn how old clothes can be upcycled and made into a new ready-made garment in 4 hours, with the aid of the innovation of upcycling technology. The on-site mill can upcycle up to 3 tons of textile waste per day, which hopfully will help to tackle the city’s fashion waste issue.

Alt: – the upcycling garment shop that can turn your unwanted clothing into something new

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to The Mills; I think it offer an alternative retail experience (which is much needed in Hong Kong), and the new textile centre is an exciting cultural space that showcases Hong Kong’s textile heritage while looking forward to the future.

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Hong Kong heritage: The Mills (Part 1)

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Toothpicker

Interesting 1950s-60s architecture

If you take the MTR in Hong Kong, you are most likely to encounter the name ‘Tsuen Wan’ because one of the main lines is the Tseun Wan line (red) and its station is at the end of the line in the New Territories. Around 100 years ago, this area used to be a village by the bay where pirates would pass through frequently. Then in the 1940s, many Shanghai industrialists from Mainland China moved to Hong Kong and then established textile factories (Hong Kong used to be renowned for its textile and denim industry) to manufacture textiles and garments for export. The area started to change when the Hong Kong Government developed it into a new town, building new housing estates to accommodate the growing population. Sadly, the textile industry started to decline around the 1980s, and the 33 mills gradually shut down; although some factory buildings still remain, the city’s textiles history has long been forgotten.

Traditional shops in Tseun Wan

One of the prominent factories here was Nan Fung Cotton Mills, established in 1954 by Chen Din Hwa (from Ningbo in China), who was known as the ‘king of cotton yarn’. Six mills were built between the 50s-60s, but Mill 1, 2 and 3 were knocked down in the 80s, and only Mill 4, 5 and 6 survived. In 2008, the mills ceased operation and a revitalisation project was annouced in 2014 to convert the factories into a destination for innovation, culture and learning. The project was initiated by Chen’s granddaughter, Vanessa Cheung, the managing director of Nan Fung, who wanted to preserve the site and its heritage. Four years later, The Mills was born.

I have witness numerous failures with the Government-backed conservations/restorations projects in Hong Kong, so I try not to have high hopes these days. However, since the HK$700 million-plus project was privately funded by the Nan Fung Group (now a major property developer and shipping company), I was slightly more optimistic before my visit. And unlike other heritage sites in Hong Kong, the attraction of this project is not its architecture, but its history and heritage that was tied to Hong Kong’s textiles industry.

I have never been to Tseun Wan before, but I found the walk from the MTR station to the venue utterly fascinating. I had to walk through a neighbourhood full of 1950s architecture including housing estates, schools and tradtional specialist shops selling dried seafood, hardware, stationery and groceries etc. It was really interesting to see elderly and children hanging out in the area; the neighbourhood seemed laidback and authentic.

I have read very mixed reviews about the venue before my visit, and they are mostly based on one’s expectations… it would be unfair to summarise or judge this place until you see it for yourself. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by it, and I think it has exceeded my expectations (but like I said, I had very low expectations beforehand).

The 2,400sqm (260,000sqf) L-shaped site is huge, and it is not easy to nagivate around if you are here for the first time/enter from the side entrance. The company’s in-house architects, Boris Lo and Gary Ng, worked with Billy Tam, the partner at Thomas Chow Architects Ltd (also responisble for transforming PMQ in SoHo) on this project, and they have managed to keep much of the industrial look and architectural details in a respectable manner.

4th row: The old gate (with rows of golden cup motifs) of the factory has been preserved and now sits behind the reception area.

There are three pillars at The Mills: Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT), The Mills Fabrica (a techstyle incubator) and The Mills Shopfloor (an experiential retail space). CHAT is an exhibition and studio space that focuses on contemporary art, design, science, heritage, community and craftsmanship. There are also regular artist talks and workshops that are related to textiles, craft and design.

It is difficult to find a spacious, bright and airy venue in Hong Kong, so I particularly liked the spaciousness and relaxing ambience at The Mills. At the Fabrica Atrium, the original columns have been removed and parts of the roof replaced by skylights to create a long and naturally lit space, which I think works very well.

One feature that stands out at the site is the creation of The Park on the rooftop, a formerly vacant concrete space that has been transformed into an urban public space for the neighbourhood. The 4m x 23m wavy weaving wall mural, inspired by Hong Kong’s textile history, was created by Hong Kong artist, Lam Tung Pang and design consultancy Collective. When you look up, you can also see the restored signage of the former factory that says: Nan Fung Textile Co., Ltd.

To be continued…

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Kutch textiles: Tangalia & Patola weaving

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Toothpicker

After days of visiting numerous textiles artisans from different tribal communities in Kutch, I was feeling quite overwhelmed. I am no expert on Indian textiles, and after arriving in Kutch, I was surprised by the variety of textiles traditions being practised in just one region. From embroidery to weaving, blockprinting and natural dyeing… every tribal community specialises in one particular (or more) tradition that has been passed down the generations. Many small villages are somehow well-known for an ancient craft or textiles-related tradition, which is quite incredible in this day and age. When you visit these villages, you almost feel like you are entering a time warp… and you can imagine how life used to be hundreds of years ago. The people we encountered in these villages are not rich, but they seem happier (and friendlier) than the inhabitants in big cities; life in these villages is slow and relaxed.

In Kutch’s Surendranagar district, there is a rare 700-year-old indigenous craft native to the region. Tangalia (Tangaliya/Tangalio) is a weave technique practised by the Dangasia community. Surendranagar district has one of the largest handloom clusters in Gujarat, and tangalia can be seen in Bajana, Wadhwan, Sayla, and other villages in this region.

The Tangalia weavers are adept at adding extra knots on the weft which create motifs and figures in a dotted pattern on the woven fabric. Besides dots, other geometric patterns like circles, straight lines, hyperbolic or parabolic designs etc are often seen on these woven textiles. Using this technique, artisans weave shawls, stoles and wraparound skirts worn by women of the Bharwad shepherd community. The single Ikat done at various places in this district, including Somasar and Sayla, creates a less expensive version of the ultra-rich double Ikat Patolas of Patan. Traditionally, black sheep and camel wool is used as the raw material, though cotton and other materials were later introduced for the contemporary market.

Dahyabhai Motibhai Parmar’s studio

In Bajana, we visited the studio of a Tangalia weaver, Dahyabhai Motibhai Parmar, who has been practising this craft for over 30 years. We learned that Dahyabhai’s family has been weaving tangalia textiles for Bharvad Shepherds for the last 2-3 centuries. However, Dahyabhai did not have any finished woven Tangalia shawl to show us at his studio, so we wandered around the village, and soon found a home/shop that selling Tangalia shawls in various colours and designs. The prices of these shawls are extremely reasonable, and I doubt you could find handmade woven pieces at these prices outside of these villahes.

Woven Tangalia shawls

In the nearby Patan, the medieval capital of Gujarat, it is famous not only for Rani ki vav (an UNESCO World Heritage Site), but also for its Patola weaving technique. Patola is an ancient double Ikat weave (meaning there is no reverse side to it, and can be worn from both sides) that involves intricate and complex process of tie-dyeing on the warp and weft before weaving. Patola saris (made of silk) used to be worn only by royalty and aristocracy, so they were (are) seen as luxury items. The weaving technique is a closely guarded family tradition, and there are only three families left in Patan that can weave these beautiful and expensive double ikat saris, which can take six months to one year to make.

About 900 years ago in 1143 A.D., around 700 craftsmen from the Salvi community in Karnataka and Maharashtra were brought by king Kumarpal of the Solanki dynasty (who then ruled Gujarat, parts of Rajasthan and Malwa) to his court in Patan. These craftsmen lived in Jalna, situated in southern Maharashtra, and were considered to be the finest craftsmen of Patola.

In 2014, the Patan Patola Museum, a private museum run by Patan’s Salvi family opened its doors to the public. The three-storey museum documents the history of the Patan Patola, which combines techniques of tyeing, dyeing and weaving. Here, you can watch demonstrations by master weavers, and see rare ikat collection from India, Japan, Guatemala, Bali and Kalimantan. And if you want to splash out, you can also find a small shop on the top floor selling patola saris.

The scene behind India’s cotton production

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Toothpicker

India is the world’s largest producer of cotton (it surpassed China recently), while Gujarat is the largest cotton producing state in India with a production of 125 Lakh Bales. Cotton is considered not only the most important fibre crop in India but the entire world.

Cotton is the most popular cellulose fibre in the textiles and fashion industry, yet it uses more than half the chemical pesticides used in the entire agricultural production in India. In fact, cotton production is very unsustainable and poses serious challenges to the environment through the excessive use of inputs like water, fertilizers and pesticides.

Although most of us consider cotton as a preferable fibre to other synthetic fibres, few of us actually know much about the process of cotton production. Our visit to a cotton production factory in Kutch was an eye-opening experience, and it made me think hard about my consumption habit and how it has to change in the future.

The cotton plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, Africa, Egypt and India. The essential requirement for growing cotton crop is high temperature varying between 21°C and 30°C.

Cotton is a kharif crop which requires 6 to 8 months to mature. Traditionally, cotton production takes about 10,000 litres of water to produce one kilogramme of cotton fabric. And since India’s cotton is grown in drier regions, government subsidises the costs of farmers’ electric pumps, placing no limits on the volumes of groundwater extracted at little or no cost. This has created a widespread pattern of unsustainable water use and strained electrical grids.

So what happens after the cotton has been picked? Raw cotton is then brought to the ginning mills or factories to be cleaned and processed, and we visited one of them in Kutch. From afar, the raw cotton looked like mountains of snow – I have never seen so much cotton before, and it looked incredibly fluffy!

However, when we entered the factory, it was another story… the dark and polluted environment was shocking. We could barely breathe properly inside, and I had to take out and wear my ’emergency’ face mask immeditately. The factory was filled with cotton dust – a mixture of many substances including ground up plant matter, fibre, bacteria, fungi, soil, pesticides, non cotton plant matter and other contaminants. Yet in this appalling condition, none of the young workers there were wearing face masks, which made us question our guide about the ethics of the factory.

The guide told us that the factory boss does provide face masks for the workers, though they refuse to wear them. He claimed that even social workers have tried to persuade them but failed. I found it a bit hard to understand, and said that the government needs to impose stricter safety regulations and fines in order to protect the workers’ health and safety. Even though we didn’t spend a long time inside the factory, we were already finding the air inhalable and very toxic; it was inconceivable to think that the workers have to work in this hazardous environment all day long. I am sure that the young workers here would develop respiratory-related illnesses from this. Yet this factory is only one of many in the region/ country; the overall situation is probably more horrific and depressing.

As we left the factory, I felt quite upset and helpless. The tour has made me reconsider my consumption habit and it reminded me of the importance of supporting eco-conscious fashion and textiles. Although I can’t help the situations of the workers, I hope that I can spread the message and let consumers understand the truth about the cheap cotton t-shirts and other garments that are costing lives of so many around the world.

Nirona village: Rogan art, copper bell & lacquer craft

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Toothpicker

Kutch is a fascinating place; besides textiles, there are various other arts and crafts being practised in the region. Located around 35 km north of Bhuj, Nirona village is a small village famous for Rogan art, a rare traditional art form originated from Persia/Sindh, which almost disappeared until efforts to revive it in recent years. For over three centuries, one Khatri (Muslim) family called Abdul Gafur in Nirona has kept this traditional art form from vanishing completely.

There are only about 5000 people living in this quiet village, and there is nothing particularly appealing as you walk through the village, though I do like the bright colours and geometric patterns on the facades of the buildings.

It is hard to believe that only one family in this world has managed to keep the Rogan art alive. The reason for this is because traditionally the art form was passed on only to the male members of the Khatri family. (Many ancient art and craft forms around the world have died out because of family secrecies, which is a big shame.) Today, Khatri Abdul Gafoor Daud and Khatri Sumar Daud along with five other artists, including a woman are the practitioners at their studio in the village. Abdul Gafoor Daud has also been teaching the art to local women in collaboration with a non-profit organisation as a way of reviving the art.

The family has been presented with the Padma Shri Award (2019), an International Designer award, 5 National award, 8 State award and 3 National Merit certificates over the last four decades. In 2014, Rogan art became internationally known when it was presented to Barack Obama (the then President of the United States of America) by Narendra Modi during his visit to the US.

Traditionally, the Rogan art was painted on bridal clothing of the regional tribes, and on ghagras, odhanis and bed spreads. Nowadays, though, more people used them as wall pieces and ‘Rogan kaam’ has gained immense popularity.

The word rogan means oil or oil-based in Persian. Paint made from thick brightly coloured castor seed oil is used to paint on fabric. Castor is a crop commonly grown in the Kutch region of Gujarat and the artists source it from the local farmers.

To prepare the paint, castor oil is heated in a vessel and continuously stirred for more than 12 hours till it catches fire. The paint-maker has to take extreme care to ensure it doesn’t get burnt. The residue is then mixed with cold water until it thickens into a sticky elastic paste called rogan. This paste is then mixed with stone pigments to lend it different hues. Next, the artisan uses a six-inch metal stick to paint with a fine thread of rogan on cloth.

During our short visit, a young artisan demonstrated his skills and it was jawdropping to watch him apply paint onto the fabric with such precision and focus. If he makes one mistake, he would have to start all over again because there is nowhere to hide the mistakes. It is no wonder this art form is being so highly regarded in India and globally.

After the visit, we went to the studio of a copper bell maker, Mr Husen Luhar, who has been making bell-making since the age of 12. The Lohar community is originally from Sindh, and Mr Luhar‘s family has been making copper bells for at least 7 generations. I have never seen a bell being made before, and I was captivated by Mr Luhar‘s skills and speed. Within 15 minutes of cutting and hammering continuously, he somehow turned a piece of copper into a bell that produces a crisp sound – it was like magic! Besides bells, he also makes wind Chimes, Xylophone and Jhumar etc. I have never given much thought on the different sounds produce by bells or other metal materials, but the visit to Mr Luhar‘s studio has opened my eyes and made me appreciate the craft of bell-making.

Our final stop in the village was to meet the artisans of lacquer art practiced a semi-nomadic tribe called Vadha. Traditionally, artists used to obtain the lac resin from insects found in the forests. Nowadays, lac is readily available in the market.

The resin is mixed with different colours and applied onto carved wooden objects such as wooden spoons, bread rolling pins, containers, toys and utensils etc. The tools to make these objects are very basic: a manual lathe, a hammer and chisels, but it is the bright zigzag patterns that distinguish them from other lacquerware.

It is incredible that such a small village can produce such an interesting variety of arts and crafts. I think all visitors who come to Kutch have to explore beyond the cities to appreciate all the hidden treasures in this region.

Kutch textiles: Vankar Vishram Valji, the Indigo dyer & weaver

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Toothpicker

*Please do not use my blog photos without consent.

One of the most fascinating studio visits in Kutch was a trip to master weaver, Vankar Shamji Vishram‘s indigo-dyeing and weaving studio in a village called Bhujodi. Shamji is the son of Shri Vishram Valji Vankar, who won the India’s prestigious National Award for weaving in 1974. Shamji started weaving under the guidance of his father at the age of 15 and has been running the studio for over 20 years. The Vankar community are renowned for their weaving traditions, and they often collaborate with the Rabari community who are known for their spinning and embroiderery to make beautiful shawls. Now Shamji and his family train and employ around 60 famiies and 90 hand loom weavers in Bhujodi to preserve the traditional craft.

Soon after we arrived at Shamji’s family home/studio, he started to explain to us his organic indigo-dyeing process, and I was pleased to learn that he only uses natural ingredients found locally. The process of indigo dyeing requires warm and stable temperature for fermentation to take place, hence, the underground indigo vats provide the suitable environment for it. Another important ingredient –alkaline– is extracted from cattle’s urine and dung (ammonia), which undoubtedly is abundance in India.

What I like about Shamji‘s studio is that since it is also his family home, so family members and artisans all work on different tasks around the spacious home studio. It has an open and authentic feel to the place, and visitors can wander from one weaving area to another to observe the spinning and weaving process.

Their high quality woven products brought them important clients like Fabindia, Cottage Emporium, and Nalli, as well as specialist shops from overseas. Again, all of us couldn’t resist trying on their beautiful shawls and scarves at prices that are about 1/4 of what you would pay in the U.K.

Before we left, we were greeted by Shamji‘s mother, who kindly allowed us to take photos of her traditional costume and incredible jewellery. We were told that her silver ankle bands weigh about 1 kilo – Imagine trying to run with them on! Amazing.

After visiting several artisans’ studios in Kutch, it made me rethink my shopping habits – buying directly from the artisans completely change my relationship with the products. There are memories and stories behind the products, therefore I am likely to cherish them more than items bought from a highstreet shop. If we all change the way we shop, I believe it would certainly bring about positive changes in the future.

Kutch textiles: Pabiben Rabari, the female tribal entrepreneur

Posted on April 28, 2019 by Toothpicker

In our current fast-paced and globalised world, we are faced with some important questions about our past, present and future: how to preserve traditions and yet make them relevant today? Can we preserve the skills and knowledge but evolve at the same time? Many artisans, craftsmen and designers around the world are trying to find a balance between traditions and innovations. Traditions have to evolve with time, otherwise they would extinct, so we all need to think out of the box when it comes to preservation.

Originally from (possibly) Iran or Afghanistan, the semi-nomadic Rabari community of cattle and camel raisers migrated to Kutch and Rajasthan about 400 years ago. The Rabari women are well-known for their shisha mirror embroidery, which has been passed on for generations. It is customary for young girls to prepare her own dowries, which include the wedding costumes for the bride and groom, hangings for the new home, and trappings for the domestic animals. However, the dowry-making process could take years, and paid for by the groom; as a way of easing the burden for both sides and the delay of marriages, the elderly in the community decided to ban the making and wearing of hand embroidery for personal usage in 1995.

In order to preserve the Rabari embroidery, a group of Rabari women came up with a new solution without breaking the community’s rules: machine application of readymade elements, which they called ‘Hari Jari.’ One woman from the group, Pabiben Rabari, became a master of this art and created her own style using trims and ribbons, which is later known as ‘Pabi Jari’. She applied this technique onto some shopping bags and they became instant hits. Her Pabi bags are loved by celebrities, and were featured in Hollywood and Bollywood films. As the first female entrepreneur from her tribe, Pabiben has become an inspiration to many women in her community. The mission of her enterprise is to develop a strong viable business model for women artisans, and she works with 50 women in Bhadroi village of different ages and skill levels to create fair trade accessories.

We visited Pabiben‘s house and workshop in Bhadroi village one afternoon, and we were greeted by her and a group of Rabari women who kindly demonstrated their superb embroidery skills and showed us some of their samples. It was wonderful to see these women from the same community working together to bring about positive changes to their village while preserving and reviving an ancient art form.

Interestingly, we found out that traditionally Rabari women would be dressed in black clothing with black veils, meanwhile, men would be dressed in white clothing with white turbans. Legend has it that once a Muslim king fell in love with a Rabari girl, but his proposals were denied by the community, so the king grew angry and threatened to kill them all. The Rabaris were forced out of their land in search of a new safe place and were assisted by a Muslim man from the court. Later, the king found out about this and killed the Muslim man. It is believed that it was then that the Rabari women started wearing black to mourn his death.

Pabiben‘s shop/showroom is packed with colourful, bold and one-of-a-kind accessories and bags. Her products are sold at many high-end outlets in India such as the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the Oberoi Hotel and ARTISANS’ in Mumbai, as well as some independent shops overseas. She has also won many awards for her inspiring work and achievement. I think if every tribe in India has a woman like Pabiben in their village, then we are likely to see a very different India in the future.

Kutch textiles: Bandhani & SIDR craft

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Toothpicker

A large bandhani piece we saw at Mr A A Wazir’s house

I think many people are familiar with the term ‘shibori’ which is the Japanese technique of resist dyeing on cloth. The word itself means ‘to wring, squeeze, press’, and it is a way of manipulating the fabric to achieve the desired results. However, this practice is not unqiue to Japan, and countries like China, Indonesia, Korea, and India have their versions too. In India, a tie-dyeing technique is commonly practised by artisans in Kutch, which is called bandhani or banghej. The term bandhani is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘bandh’ which means ‘to bind or to tie’.

Tiny dots are created by tying several points of a thin fabric (cotton or silk) tightly with a thread, which then would be dyed after the design is created. It is a time-consuming process esp. if you have a large piece of cloth or a complex design. This technique is closely associated with the pastoral Khatri community, which migrated from Sindh (now Pakistan) a few centuries ago. The patterns differ vastly between the Muslim Kkatris and the Hindu Khatris. The Muslim artisans prefer to use geometric designs inspired by the cosmos, whereas the Hindu artisans like to use plants, animals and human figures for their patterns. A bandhani sari (often featuring yellow dots on red fabric) is traditionally worn at Gujarati weddnings.

Traditionally, the practice is usually carried out at home by women or young girls, but we visited SIDR craft studio in Bhuj that specialises in this technique founded by two male artisans and brothers, Abduljabbar and Abdullah Khatri.

We were greeted by Abdullah at the studio, and he told us that the studio was established in 1992 in order to continue the family tradition of bandani. The studio received UNESCO Seal of Excellence in 2006 and 2007, and their international clientele continues to grow year on year.

The design process at SIDR craft is overseen by Abduljabbar, who uses traditional motifs and stencils are created to transfer the pattern to fabric: pure silk, cotton and cotton-silk blends. Over 200 independent women artisans in villages in Kutch are employed to tying thousands of tiny knots on the stenciled fabric to create a single scarf or shawl. The natural dyeing process, often is required in successive stages for a single piece, takes place at the studio.

We were all very impressed by the intricate design and painstaking process, and we loved the fact that no two scarves, stoles and shawls are exactly the same. It is also encouraging to learn that the studio is selling to overseas retailers and customers, which demonstrates that one-of-a-kind handcrafted accessories would never go out of fashion, and they have to be preserved for generations to come.

Kutch textiles: embroidery, applique, quilts & patchwork

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Toothpicker

Embroidery plays a eminent role in Kutch textiles, and Gujarat was the world’s centre for commercial embroidery in the 17th century. The area was renowned for its mochi (meaning ‘cobbler’ in Gujarati and Hindi) embroidery maintained by the Mochis, who were originally cobblers but developed their own style of embroidery technique on silk. An ari is a small crochet-hook like awl/needle used to create chain stitches repeatedly. The embroidered motifs were usually flowers, fruits, animals (peacocks are common) and human figures. However, traditional mochi embroidery suffered a demise when the courts, landowners and merchants lost their wealth in the early-mid 20th century, and now you can only find the finest mochi embroidery in the museums/at the homes of some collectors.

Luckily, our guide Salim Wazir is the son of the renowned Kutch textiles expert and collector, Mr A A Wazir, hence we had the opportunity to visit his home and see his stunning collection of more than 3000 pieces colleced over 50 years. Mr Wazir has traveled extensively around India and has collected textiles of different styles and sizes, with many of them featuring fine embroidery. Besides embroidery, he also collected many wonderful appliques and quilts. This place is a must for all textiles lovers and collectors; about half of his textile collection is for sale, and worldwide shipping is available too.

There are numerous embroidery styles in Kutch, but one of the notable style is the Shisha or Abhla bharat embroidery that feature round or other shaped mirrors attached to the fabrics by embroidery. Some tribal communities believe mirrorwork is auspicious as a tool for warding off the evil eye, reflecting bad luck and evil spirits away from the wearer. The main practitioners of this style are the Rabaris, Kanbis, Ahirs, Rajputs and Oswal Banias.

Applique (or Katab) is easier to work than embroidery, and it was introduced from either Europe or Middle East by through trading in the 19th century. Often animals, plants and humans cut-outs are sewn onto a large piece of cloth that are used as wedding canopies. The applique technique is usually practised bt the Kathis and Molesalaam.

Quilts are usually made by older women in the Kutch communities, and they are a favourite wedding gift for newly weds. Sometimes the quilts feature patchwork designs or appliqués or a mix of several techiques on recycled or new fabric, and are considered a sign of a family’s wealth and position in the community.

The day after a fascinating visit to Mr A A Wazir‘s home, we went to the showroom of Qasab, an collective socio-cultural enterprise founded in 1997 to revitalise the embroidery craft of Kutch. It comprises 1,200 rural craftswomen from 11 ethnic communities spread across 62 villages in Kutch. The enterprise is known for its high quality of Kutch embroidery, appliqué and patchwork products that reflect the cultural identity of each community.

There was a long presentation of the textiles practised by the numerous tribal groups in Kutch. One of them is the nomadic Rabari tribe, which moved to the Kutch region in the 13th century. When the tribal elders banned the elaborate embroidery work made by women 15 years ago. Qasab has since been in dialogues with the community elders to give opportunities to the Rabari women to collaborate with designers to apply their appliqué skills and earn an income to support themselves.

The next post will be about a Rabari village woman who became an award-winning female entrepreneur loved by the celebrities in Bollywood…

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