Access to cheap labour, materials and ready-made factories ensures India is one of the world’s mass-produced, ready-to-wear powerhouses, producing millions of pieces per day. However, it also boasts a rich crafts and textiles heritage. Artisanal fabric traditions can be traced back centuries and each region has its own unique style. The slow fashion hand made by the skilled craftsmen and ladies still thrives – you just need time to discover it. Small-scale independent craftspeople promote the traditional way of creating beautiful pieces using specialised skills passed down from generations.
Source: Coole Photography
Source: No perfect day for Banana Fish
Artistic Map of India Shows the Embroidery Techniques of Its Different Regions
Source: via Boing Boing
Add some spark to your home with the Banjara textiles from India
The Banjara community (meaning “the wanderers of the jungle” in Sanskrit) lived originally between Afghanistan and the Indian state of Rajasthan. Nowadays they have spread all across India.
The women specialise in Lepo embroidery, which involves stitching little pieces of mirror and decorative beads onto clothes. As the result the fabrics turn into the “sea of tiny mirrors” which are very responsive to bright sunlight.
Source: Rovingsnails.com
Use Banjara fabric in your interiors for cushions.
These pillows would be especially suitable on the veranda, where direct sunlight plays with the tiny embroidered mirrors of the fabric.
Source: Faerymother
Source: The Silk Road
The best place to purchase these is in a busy market in Rajasthan.
