On the occasion of the arrival of our beautiful poplins printed in block print, I thought you might not know this technique...
So why not make a nice blog post about it?
Without hesitation, I dived in and you know what... I learned a lot while creating this article too!
So, off we go to India and its wonders!
A bit of history
As I mentioned earlier, it all really starts in India. Indeed, block print has been practiced in India for several centuries now. While traces of textile printing date back to Antiquity in China or Egypt, it is in India that this art reached its full expression thanks to the skill of artisans, especially from Rajasthan.
This cotton arrived in Europe at the end of the 16th century via the Portuguese, and of course, we called them... “les indiennes”!
At the time, these fabrics generated great enthusiasm because of their "exoticism," but it was also then that cotton was discovered—its lightness, sun resistance, and beautiful colors that don’t fade as much in the wash!
So much so that Europe gradually copied the process, especially for toile de Jouy!
But how do you get block print fabric?
In India, artisans work with carved wooden stamps that they press against the fabric at regular intervals to create a pattern. Different colors are applied using different stamps while carefully aligning the various markers; this demands a lot of skill and practice.
This process is built layer by layer with dye and paint to bring the pattern to life!
The whole process requires great expertise.
1. The carving of exotic wood (rosewood, for example) which takes 4 to 6 days depending on the pattern since there are as many stamps as colors used to create the design, sometimes up to 10 stamps!
2. The choice of fabric (cotton, silk…)
3. The choice of color combinations
4. The block/stamp is soaked in vegetable oil for several days to improve color adhesion and the stamp's longevity.
5. The application of the stamp(s), requiring the same pressure on the fabric to achieve the same color intensity.
6. The fabric is washed, dried, ironed…
Let's watch this in a video!
Which will gradually lead to modern printing techniques...
What sets block print apart and ultimately gives it all its charm?
Unlike digital printing, block print still carries the mark of the human touch, the artisan... Block print bears the trace of its creator with its many qualities but also its small imperfections that give its patterns all their beauty.
Indeed, each artisan has their own way of printing, making each creation a unique object. The colors interact differently with humidity and light, making each print singular.
These slight variations, these small roughnesses in the design, are not flaws: they reflect a living art.
For me, it speaks to me and captivates me, reminding me of the Japanese philosophy of Wabi sabi, the celebration of imperfection 😊. Let's be perfectly imperfect!
And you, are you drawn to this kind of fabric?
Discover block prints in our Ixelles store and on the webshop here
Get your needles ready!
