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the MAIWA JOURNAL

 Shown: Ahilya Tank and the Prana Skirt.

Shown: Khula Top and the Prana Skirt.


KALA COTTON
HANDWOVEN, ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE

THE STORY

Cotton grows naturally in India. Up until the 1750s two indigenous varieties predominated: Gossypium arboreum (known as “tree cotton”) and gossypium herbaceum (known as Lavant cotton). Unlike conventional cotton, these varieties were native to the region and were well adapted to the climate. These fibres show up in textiles from the Kachchh region dating back thousands of years. 

More importantly, these local varieties were ecologically sustainable. They had adapted to low water requirements and extremely arid conditions. However, they did not integrate well with industrial machinery and so were neglected. Today these “old world” cottons are being revived and incorporated into handmade textiles where they are once again appreciated as the fibres that can be spun into the threads that make the most exquisite cotton cloth. 

Kala cotton. Now used in select Maiwa clothing.


VISIT OUR KALA COTTON CLOTHING HERE



KALA COTTON SCARVES

Organic Kala Cotton Scarf - Borders
Shirt: 
Khula Top 

Organic Kala Cotton Scarf - Stripes
Shirt: 
Khula Top 


KALA COTTON TOWELS

On the left: Organic Kala Cotton towel - Narrow Stripes 
On the right: Organic Kala Cotton towel - Wide Multi Stripes
Shirt: 
Khula Top 

Organic Kala Cotton towel - Narrow Stripes 




NEW SHIMOGA SHIRTS
NOW IN STORE AND ONLINE

These new Shimoga shirts continue to celebrate exceptional fabric - this time handwoven, naturally dyed organic cotton. Yes - its time to fall in love with cotton again.

Shirt: Shimoga Shirt - Organic Cotton - Grey Grid


 Shirt: Shimoga Shirt - Organic Cotton - Grey Stripe


Shirt: Shimoga Shirt - Organic Cotton - Camel
Shown with: Liberty Tank - White Linen and Leather Woven Tote - Large


Maiwa's clothing is available at Maiwa on Granville Island 
7 days a week between 10am and 7pm
And Online at maiwa.com
Thursday, May 30, 2019 No comments

MASALA QUILTS
MADE FROM THE BEST OF MAIWA'S HONEST CLOTH


Maiwa's Masala Quilts are your chance to experience the best of Maiwa's artisan cloth. Pieced together from the work of craftspeople located throughout India, these quilts feature naturally dyed,  handwoven, block printed, ikat, and resist patterned cloth.

This is the first time we are offering these quilts online. There is only one quilt in each style. Each quilt is unique.  The perfect compliment to any bed.


PICK A PATTERN








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BENGAL PATCHWORK QUILTS
NATURAL INDIGO AND RUNNING STITCH
Meet our newest kantha quilts: Bengal Patchwork. These are made from naturally dyed indigo textiles by artisans in rural Bengal. They are a wonderful wandering grid covered with course running stitch. We have paired them with a selection of cushion covers in two sizes. Both quilts and cushion covers have a playful, country charm.





PATCHWORK QUILTS


PATCHWORK CUSHIONS

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Maiwa's Masala & Bengal Quilts are available at Maiwa on Granville Island
7 days a week between 10am and 7pm
And Online at maiwa.com


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MASALA QUILT ON EXHIBIT
AT THE PENLAND  GALLERY


FURTHER EVIDENCE: THE ART OF NATURAL DYES
AT THE
JOHN + ROBYN HORN GALLERY
Tuesday May 28 – Sunday July 14, 2019
PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFT


Two textiles featuring natural indigo will be on display as part of Further Evidence: The Art of Natural Dyes (curated by Catherine Ellis and Kathryn Gremley). The work features a collaboration between a wealth of artisans widely distributed througout India. 

Charllotte and Sophena Kwon (through Maiwa) in collaboration with Chandana Srinath (ikat weaver, Telengana, India), Bappa Biswas (yarn dyer & weaver, Bengal, India), Mahesh Dosaya (indigo dyer & dabu block printer, Rajasthan, India), Malka Weavers (yarn dyers & handweavers, Andhra Pradesh, India), WomenWeave (yarn dyers & handweavers, Madhya Pradesh, India).


Also featured in the exhibition will be the complete 2019 batch of cochineal ink made by Maiwa's Tim McLaughlin. Tim's Ink Takes Shape project is an annual collaboration between artisans. In addition to 120 ampules of ink made from natural dyes, Tim has sent photography, pens, pigment, and one of his journals. Tim will lecture on ink and natural dyes at the Maiwa School of Textiles this fall. You can follow his ink work at @artisan_ink.







Wednesday, May 22, 2019 No comments


LIVING BLUE
INDIGO


Living Blue produces its own natural indigo. Working with over 3000 indigo farmers in Northern Bangladesh, the group takes advantage of non-agricultural land to grow what is possibly the best known dye plant in the world: indigofera tinctoria.


Instead of forming the extract into cakes, Living Blue dries the extract in thin sheets - a clever innovation that results in small chips of indigo pigment. The chips are easily ground to a fine powder for dyeing.


Visit Maiwa's Living Blue Indigo here

Maiwa has been working with Living Blue since 2011. We hosted presentations by Living Blue at the 2012 Maiwa School of Textiles Symposium. In January 2013 Maiwa took a team of dyers and textile specialists to help troubleshoot artisan dyeing. That story was presented as the Threads Lecture for 2013. In 2017 Maiwa was able to offer training to Living Blue artisans as part of our workshop for Indigo Sutra. Now we are proud to offer Living Blue Indigo as one of our natural dye options.


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LIVING BLUE

Living Blue is located about four hours north of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The rural areas are fertile but are in need of diverse employment opportunities.


Charllotte Kwon, founder of Maiwa making an organic test vat during Maiwa's 2013 visit.


Working with the senior artisans at Living Blue in 2013 to document vat recipies, dye techniques, and procedures.


Living Blue is well positioned to take advantage of what is, historically, one of the best indigo growing regions of the world. The growing demand for a natural source of indigo has the potential to empower rural communities, while also helping to support local dyers, quilters, and an entire network of artisans.




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Maiwa's Living Blue Indigo is available at Maiwa Supply on Granville Island
7 days a week between 10am and 7pm
and
Maiwa East at 1310 Odlum Drive Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. 

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OUR BANDANAS ARE BACK IN STOCK!

We are finding that our bandanas are in high demand. The size is perfect to explore an idea or technique. Many artisans are telling us that they can now effectively create a series for exhibitions and summer craft fairs. Best of all ... these bandanas are organic cotton!


Visit Our Bandanas Here

And Our Full Collection of Blank Textiles Here





Wednesday, May 15, 2019 No comments


Above: Womenweave Shawl "Evening Light"

Handspun cotton, handwoven into a lightweight shawl. The centre field is black with white jamdani dots. The end panels have a field of tiny stripes. White selvedge stripe. $149.95 CAD


THREE PERFECT SHAWLS


The WomenWeave cooperative have created three perfect shawls. They are so beautiful that we have dedicated this entire promotion to them.

Like three sisters, these three shawls share many personality traits. All have a supplemental weft technique where soft cotton threads are added to the weave. All have a selvedge that announces their handwoven character and all three have a wonderful drape and flow that shows them to be true creations of master artisans.

Like three sisters  — three perfect shawls.



Above: Womenweave Shawl "Morning Light"

Handspun cotton, handwoven into a lightweight shawl. The centre field is cream with dark jamdani dots. The end panels have a field of tiny stripes. Dark selvedge stripe. $149.95 CAD






 
Above: Womenweave Shawl "Woven Field with Red Border."

 Handspun cotton, handwoven into a lightweight shawl. The centre field is black with a grid of supplemental lines. The selvedge edge is finished with a dramatic red stripe. $149.95 CAD


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Maiwa shawls and scarves are also available at Maiwa on Granville Island 
7 days a week between 10am and 7pm

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MEET THE ARTISANS
WOMENWEAVE


The wealth of handloom skills in India is unsurpassed by any other country.  Groups like WomenWeave are part of the reason that heritage is still alive today.  WomenWeave is based in Maheshwar, an area where artisans made a name for themselves weaving the famous Maheshwar Sari. 

But Sally Holkar, who founded the WomenWeave Charitable Trust in 2002, wanted to adapt the high-level weaving skills to contemporary designs — thus ensuring that handloom could expand and flourish for future generations.


The WomenWeave cooperative specializes in handspun, handwoven cloth. Many artisans learned from their parents - who learned from their parents. Generations of family weavers means that for these artisans, the vocabulary of cloth runs deep — it is a heritage that they are anxious to preserve.



Maiwa has been working with WomenWeave for over ten years. We are proud to support their dedication and skill — and their vision for the future of handloom.


Wednesday, May 08, 2019 No comments
Shown: Hunza Top - Vine, Makai Pant - Black Charcoal Chevron


SEE THE NEW MAIWA CLOTHING


MAIWA LOVES LINEN
HERE'S WHY

Silk is elegant. Cotton is hard-working. Wool cares for you and keeps you warm. But linen … linen is the reward. Linen has a singular character and gives a hand to fabric that is unlike anything else. It rewards the skillful weaver, knitter, dyer and artisan. 

Linen gets better with age - taking on a buttery smoothness. These clothes are easy to wear. They can be combined with almost anything. To wear linen is to experience the profound pleasure of cloth.


Shown Left:  Rajasthan Top - Indigo Daisy
Shown Right:  Makai Pant - Indigo Pattee, Tank - Liberty Tank

Shown:  Hunza Top - Natural

Shown left:   Tulsi Pant - Midnight, Liberty Tank - Black 
Shown Right:  Tulsi Pant - Olive,  Rajasthan Top - Olive, Liberty Tank - Natural
Bag:  Leather Bucket Bag: Tan

Linen is one of the most challenging fibres to naturally dye. Maiwa was one of the first to revive the art of naturally dyed and block printed linen. We feel we've nailed it. Beautiful rich jewel-like tones that are deep and true. Light colours that are delicate without being weak. Natural dyes that show the true beauty of hand block printed fabrics.

Shown:  Khira Dress - Indigo Pattee
Bag:  Leather Slim Tote: Tan



Maiwa clothing is available at Maiwa on Granville Island 
7 days a week between 10am and 7pm
And Online at maiwa.com



MEET THE ARTISANS

These garments are naturally dyed on linen by the famous Dabu printers of Rajasthan, India.


A short clip of dabu block printing being done in Rajasthan, India
See it on our Instagram Feed.






Wednesday, May 01, 2019 No comments
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