SCARVES & SHAWLS
The name “Bandhani” derives from the Sanskrit term meaning “to tie.” Tied resist is a traditional technique that has been practiced in India for centuries.
Each dot is the result of creating a tiny peak in the cloth and then tightly wrapping thread around the peak to resist the dye. Artisans work with precision as they slowly pattern the entire cloth - a lengthy process with an exquisite outcome. In Japan, this type of shaped resist is known as shibori. In the West small tie-and-dye pieces were widely traded and became known as “bandanas” - after the term bandhani.
To achieve multiple colours with this process requires skill and patience as each new colour needs either a new tie or a separate dip in the dyebath. The result of applying bandhani on silk is a sculptural textile with a unique life of its own.
Maiwa works directly with bandhani artisans working Kutch Desert of Gujarat, Western India.
JABBAR & ABDULLAH KHATRI
Bandhani has a long and illustrious history in western India. The technique of wrapped thread resist evolved into a powerful expression of identity for cultural groups as well as a simple and quick pattern technique that could be applied to trade textiles. Bandhani gave us the “bandana,” a trade textile in its most popular form.
Within India dense fields of pointillist dots became a mark of prestige—the closer and smaller the dots, the more difficult and time-consuming the textiles were to make. Fine patterns were prized above all others. Multiple colours and complex patterns flourished.
Brothers Jabbar and Abdullah Khatri are dedicated to maintaining bandhani traditions. Their story is an unusual tale of a family returning to the craft after skipping a generation. The two visited Maiwa last year and delivered a lecture on their personal relationship with bandhani. The pair also participated in the Five Artisans Exhibition.
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