Fresh Air, Fresh Ideas

Whenever I feel burdened with mundane work to the point where I’m losing sight of my goal and I don’t have enough time to design, I usually plan a trip to meet with suppliers. These trips always motivate and refresh me, reminding me of what’s more important than the small details: the bigger picture in relation to the handloom and textile crafts industry in India.

July and August this year were difficult months with staff issues, so as soon as they were somewhat under control I took off with my mom on a short trip to Ahmedabad and Baroda. In Baroda I went to visit Mala Sinha, a textile designer who graduated from NID. Mala runs her own company called Bodhi, and she prints her own designs on saris and yardage.

Touring the Bodhi workshop was like discovering my dream factory. A “colour kitchen” has dyes neatly stored with apparatus to make sure the correct dye amount (it’s measured and weighed) is used for each shade. Recipes for shades and colour combinations are documented for each print, and this is done separately for each fabric because different yarns have different capacities to absorb colour. I have had many experiences with my handloom and block-print suppliers not being able to match colour swatches or not being able to replicate their own work in the same colour shades. Mala makes it look so easy with her documents for how to replicate each print. If only other weavers and printers had her vision. Mala should really get invited to run a training workshop that other printers and tie-dyers can attend!

Another feature that motivated me at the Bodhi workshop was the use and recycling of rain water. Rainwater is collected in large tanks every monsoon and that water is used for washing and dyeing. The used water goes to a filter system with Canna plants that clean the water. That water is re-used again for fabric washing and dyeing. Seeing the impressive system there reminded me of another one of my long term goals: helping my suppliers set up infrastructure that is more environmentally friendly. My fiance was the one who first commented on the effluence created by dyeing when we visited my leheria supplier in Jaipur. Most craftsmen have a small setup with no treatment plant for their waste water, so it just flows out to the drainage system and will probably damage the soil. Bodhi’s water treatment plant is simple and effective, and a fabulous example to anyone who wants to be responsible about their production process.

Below are pictures from the Bodhi workshop/factory.

The precision required to measure dyes.

[Colourful] Grey water before the purification process and the Canna filter bed.

Mala Sinha of Bodhi

Research and Documentation

A friend of mine once told me that Indians haven’t done a good job of documenting our history and our knowledge. She was referring in particular to the field of traditional medicine and healing techniques. In the last few weeks, while I’ve been gathering research material for a section on textile crafts that I plan to have in the new Brass Tacks website (that’s right- coming up very soon), I realized that even in the area of textiles where so much has been written, it is still hard to find books that explain the crafts in a language that is easy to comprehend. Many of the essays are detailed analyses related to economics and the textile sector, and many of the coffee table books are more for visual appeal with just a paragraph of information on the origin of the craft or details of the technique.

There is one visual guide on world textiles by John Gillow that provides, albeit only for famous or popular textiles, clear explanations on craft techniques from different parts of the world. Since the book is a visual guide however, it does not go into the details of different designs or variations within a craft, and it does not provide much insight into the origin of the crafts either. For example, I am not sure why the world famous Varanasi sarees that use an extra weft technique in gold and silver are referred to by the Bengali word for extra weft: Jamdani. The Craft Revival Trust, as I’ve mentioned before, has documented many crafts and classified them in a way that makes them easy to find on their website, however a lot of those descriptions seem as if they are meant for people who already know the basics (or are some basics like the origin of Varanasi Jamdani omitted due to lack of information)?

This post was first motivated by a piece I found on the Craft Revival Trust website, and then more recently while writing information on textile crafts for the Brass Tacks website I became more appreciative of this clear and concise piece on the loom. Written by a textile designer, this definition-essay is a simple but thorough explanation of the way a handloom works. For many readers the details on the intricacies of the loom might be a little too much, but if you are interested in studying the basics of fabric construction, then this is it: easy to read, easy to comprehend, and easily accessible - Ayeshe Sadr’s Demystifying the Loom.

Discovering our clothes

I started this blog because one of my goals for Brass Tacks was to provide more information about textile crafts and the artisans who produce them. Every time I sit down to write a post however, I have so much to share about my work and some of the problems I face with production and sales that the information about the textile crafts and craftsmen are not as accessible as I’d like it to be.

I recently stumbled upon a site that explained beautifully and concisely the process of mud block printing in Mali (West Africa). This site was particularly memorable for its interactive learning tool that allows you to make your own mud cloth. Following (and doing) each step helps you learn the different processes involved and also cultivate an appreciation for the painstaking methods.

For me the learning tool was special because it shows you how connected the bogolanfini technique is to nature (the name in Bambara means "earthcloth") and how quality was not compromised even though it meant additional work. I sometimes wonder if people would have a greater appreciation for traditional textile crafts if they knew how much work and how much precision it involves. Perhaps it is just a question of taste (i.e. do people like how the end product looks or not), but I do know that when I am intrigued by a story surrounding a craft, then I want to know more about it and that knowledge then inspires in me a fascination for the craft technique as well as the end product.

I was thinking that maybe I should have an encyclopedia of some sort with text, pictures and interactive steps to demonstrate the history and technique of some of the textile crafts I use regularly. I know that the Craft Revival Trust already has a directory of crafts with a write-up, pictures and a list of craftsmen, but the text can sometimes be quite long and detailed for someone who wants to quickly get an overview of the process. Not to overlook the work that Craft Revival Trust has done though- their website is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to learn more about Indian textile crafts. I just think having that information on my site will help people connect the crafts to the garments, and in doing that it will hopefully generate more interest and pride in the crafts, the process, and the craftsmen.

Here is a link to the site that has inspired me to have interactive learning tools on my site:
Make your own Bogolanfini! http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/mudcloth/index_flash.html