Our philosopy | Cloth Atelier

Respect for...

Our world

Traditions

Each other

Cloth is fundamental to us - for protection, for comfort - for adornment.

Weaving, spinning & dyeing - the skills essential to its creation - are some of humankind’s earliest technologies.

It’s these ancient connections that lie at the heart of Cloth Atelier’s ethos. Our aims are to:

promote & preserve

the skills of the craftspeople - practised over & passed down through generations.

Inextricably linked to the physical - land, community and history

celebrate & share

the beguiling beauty of cloth that is as individual as the craftsperson creating it.

Each piece reflecting the connection between themselves and their tools

… as respectfully as possible.

We hope you will want to join us too!

Please read on for an insight into how we aim to keep true to this vision.

It starts by working with suppliers who we know and trust.

Having worked with our 4th generation master printer based in Jaipur, India, for several years now, we have a deep understanding of their company culture as well as their production methods. We maintain strong personal relationship with them through regular visits to their production sites and see hands on how their craftspeople create the cloth we sell.

As an environmentally responsible company, our block printer planted over 2000 trees in the village to minimise negative impact on the local ecology.

At the forefront of efforts to generate clean and sustainable energy, our block printer is the first to install solar panels which generate 50% of their power requirement - part of their aim to reduce their carbon footprint.

Recognising the thirsty nature of textile manufacturing processes, all our block printer's production sites have rain harvesting systems installed with recycled water put to good use in support activities.

Each site has effluent treatment plant installed - essential in the efforts to reverse the damage caused by irresponsible processing of pigment dyed cloth.

This airy print shed is where the block printers or 'Chippas' who create our cloth work. Production starts at sunrise and ends at sunset - there are no nightshifts. These are practices that aim to place as little pressure on our natural resources as possible.

We work personally with the craft dyers, or 'Rangrez', to develop bespoke colour ranges. This close relationship with our craftspeople is essential for us to keep connected with the origins of our cloth. This is Emma looking on while a sample colour palette is put together for us.

The art of hand block printing isn't as easy as an expert Chippa makes it look! Getting the pressure just right to get a good, clean impression takes skill, focus and meticulous attention to detail. The steady 'thud thud' creating its own individual rhythm reflected in the finished piece.

Our natural dyed cloth is produced in Bagru, not far from Jaipur, which is renowned worldwide for its use of natural dyes and indigo. The mud
from the river is said to be the best for making mud resist to create designs using indigo.