At La Mandarine we take pride in working with skilled artisans in Jaipur to create many of our hand block-printed dresses and kaftans. Each garment tells a story of dedication, skill and a commitment to ethical fashion. In an era of mass production, hand block printing remains a slow fashion movement, promoting craftsmanship over fast trends.
Hand block printing is a centuries-old craft and its a meticulous and labour intensive art. Rooted in Jaipur, India, the villages of Bagru and Sanganer on the outskirts of Jaipur are particular hubs for this craft and home to many well known printing families where these printing skills are passed down through generations.
I believe that by creating our garments in this way we can create unique pieces, but also help to preserve craftsmanship and this important artisan tradition.
The Block-printing process
Block design
Master artisans hand-carve intricate designs onto wooden blocks. These blocks serve as ‘stamps', creating the signature patterns that define block-printed fabrics. The blocks vary in size considerably, but are normally two or three inches thick, otherwise they are liable to warping. A walk along the main street in Sanganer reveals many small open air shops and studios where one can watch the block carvers in action.
Fabric preparation
Before printing, our cotton is washed and treated to remove impurities, ensuring the dye adheres properly.
Printing process
The cotton is stretched over long tables and secured at each corner with pins to prevent movement. Artisans carefully dip the carved wooden blocks into their dye trays and press them onto the fabric in a rhythmic motion. Each consecutive impression is made in precisely the same manner until the length of cloth on the table is fully printed. Each block stamp must align perfectly to maintain the uniformity of pattern. Some small variations are obviously normal and add authenticity to the hand made process and also make each piece unique.
If the pattern contains several colours the cloth is usually first printed throughout with one, then dried, re-wound and printed with the second, the same operations being repeated with new blocks until all the colours are printed.
Drying
Each completed run of fabric is then hung or laid out to dry in the sun to set the dyes. Only after this time consuming process is complete can we begin the actual ‘production prices of cutting and stitching and finishing.
Bear in mind that this whole dyeing and printing process is weather dependent and timescales can vary immensely depending on weather patterns and moisture levels in the air. All of which means for me as a ‘producer’ that a degree of leeway is always needed for final delivery deadlines.
That said, here are a few reasons why we continues to produce our garments in this manner.
It an eco-friendly and sustainable method of production – unlike synthetic prints, block printing uses natural dyes and minimises water waste, making it an environmentally conscious choice.
It means each garment is unique – no two block-printed fabrics are identical, ensuring exclusivity and authenticity.
The meticulous, time consuming and labor-intensive process using only natural fabrics makes it opposite of ‘fast fashion’. By supporting block printing means we contribute in a small way to empowering artisans and keeping cultural heritage alive.