Purple Swirl Flowers Block Print Cotton Handkerchief

Handkerchief measures 13'' square and is printed on a lightweight cotton voile.

Not Mass Produced - Picture a printer in a workshop, a peacock wood block stamp in hand. He dips it in a tray of red paint, places it on the fabric, and gives the stamp a sharp whack with the back of his hand. Every scarf, shawl, and fabric yard receives this kind of rock star treatment. No more worrying about friends copy-catting your style. "Actually, you can't buy the same handkerchief - no two are exactly alike."

Good for Artisans - There are no computers involved in hand block printing. A designer sketches a pattern by hand, a wood carver chisels a wood block stamp, then block printers use a single stamp for 1500 meters of fabric. Sewers whip the printed cloth into clothing and home decor items. A Trade For A Trade sources hand block printed textiles from organizations committed to reviving the livelihood of hand block designers, carvers, printers, and sewers. Workers are paid a fair wage, and have access to many social and educational projects in the community.

Reviving Traditional Crafts - Indian designers lend a particularly paisley-esque eye to the art of hand block printing. Hand block printed fabrics are the textile-world equivalent of traveling slowly, soaking in spice markets and lingering at Bollywood movies. Block printed textiles tell the love story of people, print, and pattern.