Our next adventure into the art hand-crafted textiles takes us to the little town of Bagru, just outside Jaipur. We learned the process of mud-resist indigo dyeing from Rajkanwar and Rachna Singh, a mother and daughter duo who are passionate about keeping the art of block printing alive in modern times. They welcomed us into their family-run factory and explained how they support the local community by making sustainable products employing hand-made techniques and centuries-old methods. They supply locally in India as well as collaborating with international designers. The ‘language of the hand’ – a phrase I heard used to describe the art of block printing – is all important to the Singh family. They hope to energise block printing and keep it economically sustainable in their region by reinterpreting traditional crafts and drawing inspiration from contemporary trends throughout the world.
continue reading to find out how the mud-resist indigo dyeing technique works