Your Shopping Bag is Empty
BLOG
A R T I S A N - S T O R I E S
L I F E / S T Y L E
G L O B E T R O T T E R
Journal
COLLECTION
BED & BATH
PILLOWS
QUILTS & THROWS
SHEETS & SHAMS
BATH
ACCESSORIES
THE LEGACY OF WOOD BLOCK PRINTING
A venerable craft that has stood the test of time since the 10th century, wood block printing is still being used to produce linen, silk and cotton textiles today. The mesmerizing patterns often carry traditional cultural meanings, as well as legacies of the tribes they originally come from.
First originated in China, the techniques of woodblock printing spread all across Asia. It was once widely used to print on textiles, paper and papyrus. Today, numerous small artisanal cooperatives throughout India and Pakistan are still using woodblocks to dye and color fabrics.
For multi-color patterns, artisans carve a separate block for each color element, and apply the inked blocks individually.
Block printing is one of the earliest methods of textile printing. It takes time and patience for a piece of printed fabric to complete, but the result can be unique and highly artistic, sometimes unobtainable by any other method.
- Watch a video of William Morris' block-printed wallpaper by the Victoria & Albert Museum.
- Shop block-printed home textiles from our online store.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Also in Meet Our Artisans
A Jeweler's Ode to Nature
Alex Monroe jewelry is an exquisite celebration of nature and the memories that it evokes. Every piece is a testament to the designer's love for his childhood home: from the mesmerizing dragonflies flitting around the Suffolk countryside to a quirky shrimp inspired by early memories of an afternoon tea.
NDOMO: MUD CLOTH REIMAGINED
A quiet little town on the banks of the Niger River, Segou is known as the capital of mud cloth. Textile designer Boubacar Doumbia built his workshop there 16 years ago, named it Ndomo - which means "the quest for knowledge" in local Bambara language, and welcomed young people who had no opportunity to receive formal education into his collective.
A PROUD NET-ZERO: THE CLOUD RUG
The base material of the Cloud mats and rugs are the edges of cotton fabric, cut from industrial looms. They’re “waste” – a by-product of their weaving patterns – but for the weavers at Barrydale, this raw material is an invaluable ingredient for upcycling.