Ranki

What does organic cotton mean? We’ve all heard of organic cotton, but what does organic cotton actually mean?  Organic cotton is defined as cotton that is grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. It is a sustainable and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional cotton because it promotes healthier soils, diverse ecosystems, and by using natural processes it is also safer for the people who grow it. Organic cotton does not use any toxic chemicals that are harmful to human health, and prohibits the use of GMO (genetically modified) seeds. It promotes fair pay to farmers, encourages better working conditions and a better quality of life for all involved in the production of organic clothing.  Despite the advantages of organic cotton, it is less than 1% grown of all cotton grown today. Organic cotton is really much better for both the environment and the people that grow it. In fact, it has been rated B grade ...

Jute fibre is often called hessian; jute fabrics are also called  hessian cloth , and jute sacks are referred to as gunny bags in some European countries. Jute fabric is a type of textile fiber made from the jute plant. While there are a few different botanical varieties of jute, one of the main species used to make jute fabric is  Corchorus olitorius  (white jute). However, another species of jute, called  Corchorus capsularis  (tossa jute) is considered to be superior even though it is harder to cultivate. Cotton takes the title of most-produced plant-based fiber, but jute is a close second. While jute isn’t very popular in the Western world, it is one of the primary textile fibers of India and neighboring countries. Jute plants grow to be over 10 feet high, and the fibers derived from these plants are harvested in a single long string. Therefore, jute fibers are among the longest natural textile fibers in the world. History of Jute Jute has been g...

In the vast world of Printing Techniques, discharge ink holds a unique and significant position. This particular technique, primarily used in screen printing, allows for the creation of vibrant and detailed designs on dark fabrics. It involves a special kind of ink that removes the original dye from the fabric and replaces it with a new color. a process that uses a water-based ink to deactivate or destroy the color dye in a fabric. This method is also sometimes called extract printing. In discharge printing methods, the ink is clear and contains a substance called an activator. When it's printed onto fabric, the inked areas turn a lighter color and look like they have been bleached. Color can also be added to the discharge ink so the lightened areas can include more than just one lighter tone. One method used to apply discharged inks is screen printing, where a stencil is applied to a mesh screen. Ink is then pushed through the screen so that the stencil image...

Shamilami embroidery is an art of weaving patterns and stitching. Popularly Shamilami embroidery is done on various clothing pieces but the highlighted clothes of them all is the border of a lungi, a wrap worn by women on their lower bodies.   History of Shamilami Embroidery  The embroidery is called Shamilami because of the animal patterns it uses. In Manipuri Shamilami means “wild animal patterned warrior cloth”. A piece of cloth with Shamilami embroidery was given to warriors by the King to acknowledge and appreciate their brave and heroic qualities. It was an honor to receive this piece of clothing and it held a high status in society.  Shamilami embroidery is also acknowledged in some parts of Nagaland. It is known as Naga Angami chaddars in Nagaland because they use Shamilami embroidery work on their shawls.

Block printing is the process of printing patterns by means of engraved wooden blocks. It is the earliest, simplest and slowest of all methods of textile printing. Block printing by hand is a slow process. It is, however, capable of yielding highly artistic results, some of which are unobtainable by any other method. HISTORY OF BLOCK PRINTING  The traditional art of Block Printing is being practiced in Rajasthan, India for more than 500 years. Block Printing was started in the 12th century and the rich art form of printing on fabrics was being enjoyed by the Kings and Queens which made Block Printing art recognizable as royal patronage from that time. Block printing on fabrics was introduced by the old Chippa Community located in the Bagru district of Rajasthan. The block printing art on fabric has been passed down to generations introducing various printing forms like Bagru printing, Sanganeri printing, Kalamkari block printing, Ajrakh printing, and Dabu pr...

Indigo dye is an organic compound with a distinctive blue color. At once evidenc of blue found in primitive caves had proved that you can find a indigo color soil around few parts of India around 9000-8000 years age,but now it is extinct.Today,  Indigo is a natural dye extracted from the leaves of some plants of the Indigofera genus, in particular Indigofera tinctoria. Dye-bearing Indigofera plants were commonly grown and used throughout the world, particularly in Asia, with the production of indigo dyestuff economically important due to the historical rarity of other blue dyestuffs. History   word indigo is derived from Greek, meaning from India. Indigo cultivation is thought to have existed in the Indus Valley (present-day Pakistan and northwest India) more than 5,000 years ago. There, the color was called nila meaning “dark blue” and, as good things often do, it spread.By the time European traders arrived in Goa in the early 1500s, Indian indigo was one of the goods they to...