Process

Celebrating Handmade Textiles & The People Who Create Them

At MIRTH, we partner with artisans in rural areas across the globe to produce 90% of our fabric. We use natural fiber materials, like cotton, linen, flax, and silk. During the production of our one-of-a-kind handmade fabrics, slubs, drips, kitties, and variations may develop. These imperfections all add to the character and story of the fabric and attest to the many human hands responsible for its creation. We are proud to celebrate them.

Hand Block Printing

Our block prints are made by 7th generation master printers in the village of Bagru, India, where hand block printing has been practiced for 300 years. Each part of the process takes place in this community: block carving, dyeing, printing, washing, and ironing using heritage methods. 

Blocks are carved by hand onto teak wood, which are then used to “stamp” fabric laid out on long tables with the design. Sun and dry heat are crucial, as are minerals used in the water to wash the fabric, to get the color and print to appear as expected. Drips and edges of the block are sometimes obvious in the fabric (and occasionally evidence of a cow or dog running over the fabric in a field!), which are normal and add to their story.

There are several printing methods used by the master printers including dabu (mud printing), resist (blind printing onto dyed fabrics to remove dye for the print), and screen (using large screens for intricate designs). Natural elements are used throughout the process, including madder, mustard, iron, and more.

Nature and history play major roles in all methods, adding to the unique beauty of the process and end result.

Hand Loom Weaving

A heritage craft that has been practiced for hundreds of years, handloom weaving often takes place in the homes of weavers in rural villages. Each part of the multi-step process is done by members of the local community without the aid of electricity. By eliminating heavy, pollutive machinery, we are not only reducing the impact on our planet, but also creating local jobs and honoring an incredible tradition.

Mechanization and mass production has diminished the demand for handlooms, but no machine can replicate the handfeel and some of the motifs of these breathable fabrics. Thousands of yarns are set up on the wooden loom by hand after being starched in the streets for durability. Each weft yarn is woven with the aid of a shuttle and pedals. The rhythm of handlooms can be heard all day walking down the streets of weaving villages.