WOODBLOCK PRINTS

A chic and funky line of men and women’s clothing by Brown Rice Studio that is an ode to organic kala cotton and India’s ancient traditions of natural dying and Ajrakh block printing.

 

Ajrakh is a traditional vegetable dying and resist block printing process which originated during the Indus Valley Civilization. The artisans we collaborate with come from the village Ajrakhpur in Kutch. The traditional craft is done by the Muslim community who migrated from Sindh to Kutch in Gujarat and Bamer in Rajasthan. Ajrakh prints are deeply influenced by the Islamic designs of the Mughals. The prints are recognisable by their bold geometric patterns similar to Islamic architectural elements and repetitive holy geometry.

 

The patterns are carved on to wooden blocks by master craftsmen. Before the craftsman begins the blockprinting process, he dips each block in a natural dye. With precise movements, masterered over many years, he stamps the blocks on to the fabric in a rhythmic pattern that ensures the entire length and breadth is covered uniformly.