Alankar: Chanderi

Specially and thoughtfully selected for organic consumers

Well you don't have to necessarily wait for that next trip to India or wish you had an opportunity to shop in India if you have never been there! And what's more! If you are the type who cares for the environment and want to contribute to environmentally sustainable commerce, you are in the right blog!

Presenting "Made in India" products for a greener world!

Here are a few quality, handcrafted and handloom products from rural India mostly made from natural materials- cotton, silk, wood and coloured with vegetable/fruit based dyes.

When you buy these products you support fair trade and also help those rural artisans preserve those centuries of handed down traditions of handwork and skills. Not only do we help them generate income, but also sustain these traditions of handwork that's really part of their culture.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Chanderi

Chanderi fabrics are known for their sheer texture, light weight and a glossy transparency that sets them apart from textiles produced en masse in factories. Traditionally, the fabric was woven using very fine hand spun cotton warps and wefts, which accounted for its delicate texture.

It was spun as fine as 300 counts, and was as prized amongst cotton fabrics as the famed muslins of Dhaka. However, the Industrial Revolution sounded the first death knell on this beautiful textile. The British imported cheaper 120 to 200 count cotton from Manchester, which greatly eroded the market for the more expensive Chanderi cloth.
Traditionally, the quality of the gold thread used distinguished Chanderi saris from cheaper imitations. Most Chanderis have a rich gold border and two lines of gold on the pallu. Some have gold checks or little motifs (known as Butis) all over.

To read more on this textile wonder follow the link below.