The Life and Art of India’s Handwoven Textiles
After launching the DIY with IOU sustainable design contest last week, we were inspired to take a deeper look into some of the handwoven and khadi materials on Source4Style. The IOU Project has quickly become a revolutionary fashion brand promoting artisan livelihoods. In addition to pushing the boundaries of style, The IOU Project also pushes the boundaries of fashion’s potential to employ millions of artisans – specifically the weavers who create their signature Madras cotton.
If you haven’t seen their most inspirational video which shares the social impact of buying and wearing IOU, take a look here.
So while we are so excited to find the next designer for The IOU Project, we also want to take a look back at the storied history of khadi and handwoven fabrics. Based on all our latest swatch orders, khadi fabrics are definitely leaving an impression on our designers. And this material is great to weave into your collections on many different levels.
Much of the hand-spun or hand-woven cloth that comes from India is known as khadi fabric. Khadi can be cotton, silk or wool and is made from raw materials that are hand-spun on a spinning wheel called a charkha. All khadi cloth is hand-spun and hand-woven, yet that does not mean that all hand-woven cloth is khadi. In order for a hand-woven material to be khadi, the process of spinning the raw materials (be it cotton, silk or wool) needs to be done completely by hand on the charkha.
For khadi cotton, the cotton fibers are twisted by hand to bind them together into a long, stronger yarn that can be woven. In the case of khadi silk, the silk filaments are either reeled by hand or spun by hand into yarn.
Because the whole spinning process is done by hand, the yarns have an irregularity that add to the striated character of the fabric. The finished fabric has a very natural, earthy texture that can be very soft to the touch with a “crushed” look.
What is now a staple of Indian fashion began as a social movement. In the 1920s, Mahatma Gandhi began promoting khadi fabric as an integral symbol of India liberating itself from foreign, British rule. In order to promote the idea that India is self-reliant – not dependent on British rule or the internationally-manufactured products that came with that imperial stronghold, Gandhi inspired India’s economic, political and social freedom through khadi cloth. It quickly became the icon of India’s independence movement, and to this day many Indian politicians wear only khadi clothes. And according to Indian law, the Indian flag can only be manufactured using khadi cloth.
Almost 100 years later, India’s handloom weaving industry provides employment to 12.5 million people throughout the country. And the industry has the potential to employ many more, particularly in a country stricken with systemic rural unemployment and poverty.
In addition to the social impact of handloom weaving, khadi and handwoven fabrics have more recently been sought after for their environmental impact as well. As a fabric spun and woven entirely by hand, the production process uses little to no energy (exclusive of transportation). In this sense, many manufacturers of khadi fabric have lauded the material as carbon neutral. And as the organizations committed to the preservation of khadi and handloom fabrics are also committed to producing with minimal to no environmental impact, it is extremely rare to see a chemically-dyed khadi fabric. Most of the khadi coming out of India is dyed with natural, herbal or low-impact dyes.
So without further ado, a sneak peek of some of our favorite handwoven and khadi materials on Source4Style. Swatches are in stock, and if you have any questions about ordering swatches on Source4Style, click here to learn more.
Be part of the story and get your Madras on designers. ♥
This 100% handspun, handwoven wool felt is from a supplier in Gujarat who’s gained international acclaim for reviving the art of khadi through fashion-forward, unique fabrics.
This handwoven silk coral shimmer is another great example of a modern translation of India’s handwoven art. The material is sourced from eastern India, from a localized supply chain of silk cocoon rearers, women yarn spinners and women weavers.
