Material Selections – Sourcing from Artisans
Woman working with kalamkari in Machilipatnam, India. Photo source: http://godsplumblineministries.blogspot.com/
As we prepare to share some of our latest artisan textiles at this Friday’s online session of The Academy, we thought we’d give a sneak peek of some of our favorite materials and techniques.
There is no shortage of handmade, artisan textiles on the Source4Style marketplace. We’re continuously scouring the globe for some of the most unique handmade materials. We also look for materials from suppliers that are “export-ready,” or equipped to produce for independent designers and small brands.
This Friday’s session will look at some inspiring case studies of how fashion houses from Oscar de la Renta to Chanel have sourced both materials and inspiration from the global handmade market. And then we’ll share some practical tips to keep in mind when sourcing from artisan groups large and small.
One of the questions we’ll address is whether it’s necessary to travel when collaborating across borders to create your collection. Whichever option you choose, our goal is to make your first step of sampling more efficient by offering access to swatches of all the artisan materials on the marketplace. All of the materials below are in-stock as samples and available to ship for just $4 each.
So without further ado, a preview of some of our favorite artisan materials on Source4Style. Spots are still available for Friday’s session – register here. And as always, all sessions of The Academy are free for our Premium Level Members. ♥
This hand-dyed silk batik is sourced from India, but ships from a supplier in San Francisco (no duties for you designers in the US). Batik is an age-old artform throughout South and Southeast Asia, and the hand-dyeing art actually dates back to the wax-resist dyeing techniques in Ancient Egypt.
This inherently luxurious hand-embroidered silk from Lucknow, India is from a New York-based supplier committed to reviving the vanishing craft of embroidery in northern India. The fabrics focus particularly on the traditional “aari” or chain-stitch.
This exquisite hand-woven silk twill from India uses a striking combination of colors to give a metallic sheen. Sourced in India and ships from Vancouver, Canada.
Batik is an artform that spreads from Africa to South Asia. This batik is sourced from Ghana and is in-stock and ready to ship. Swatches are available from Source4Style.
We discovered this hand-pounded bark cloth – sourced in Uganda and shipped from Germany – in our early days of private beta. We’re still in love with this material – for its uniqueness and the story it tells of preserving an ancient Ugandan handcraft.
We discovered the art of potato printing in South Africa from one of our latest suppliers who offers this 100% handwoven potato-printed cotton. Using potatoes cut into various patterns, artisans block print onto woven cotton – most often cotton canvas.
