Click on Individual garments for more details
The collection aims to create an innovative, sustainably-produced collection of fabric using the hand-loom in order to uplift Tamilian dobby loom weavers.
The collection draws its inspiration from Indian Block prints as well as the Indian technique of “Ikat” which is a craft in and of itself.
My collection is deeply rooted in my time spent with the weavers of Chennimalai. I have been moved by their simplicity, grit and determination. Through this collection, I not only wish to revive the dying craft of Handloom Dobby weaving but also shed some light on the incredible community of handloom weavers in general who, according to me, are truly in a league of their own. Their passion and discipline to their craft is unmatched and sadly, ever so often, unrecognized. So, I have taken it upon myself to name each of my styles after the traits of the weavers whom I so deeply admire.
Due to the Covid pandemic in 2020, the unavailability of university resources deterred me from producing physical samples. However, the digital illustrations provide a realistic outcome of the collection.
Handwoven
Fabrics that are woven manually by traditional weavers on a handloom. The collection concentrates on developing fabrics woven by the Tamilian handloom weavers of India in order to sustain their craft and livelihood amidst the world of fast fashion.
Natural Dyes
Eco friendly dyes that are derived from nature. The collection uses natural dyes extracted from flowers that are wasted in the process daily Hindu worship in India.
Ikat
Fabrics that are constructed by resist dyeing of yarns prior to weaving. The collection takes inspiration from the appearance and texture of Ikats.
Dobby weave
Patterns, typically geometric, created with minimal shafts on a handloom during weaving. The project aims to incorporate dobby weaves in order to uplift dobby loom weavers of Tamil Nadu, who are the most affected due to the growth of power looms.
Block print
Application of dyes on fabric using wooden blocks that are carefully hand-carved by the artisans. In this collection, wooden blocks are used to apply dyes (as opposed to resist dying) on the warp yarns prior to weaving.
Tie & Dye
A resist dyeing technique that involves various tying methods on a fabric to be dyed in order to create a pattern. In this collection the yarns are randomly tie dyed to create patterns.
Sustainability development goals followed for my MA project
Sustainability Development Goal 6 -Clean water and Sanitation
Sustainability Development Goal 14
-Life below water
Sustainability Development Goal 12 -Responsible consumption and production
Circular economy, zero waste and Sustainable development goals have a major impact on this project. Learning about carbon emission made me realise the massive effects on environment caused by basic problems faced in production and consumption in the field of textiles.
Sourcing raw material locally can save massive amount of carbon footprint. Throughout the project I have carefully worked out ways to minimise carbon footprint by sourcing all materials from within Tamil Nadu right from the consumption of yarns, dyes, packaging and souvenirs. This will also support SDG 13 for climate action by reducing carbon footprints. The chosen yarns and dyes cause less or no harm to the environment as they are sustainable and eco-friendly. Some of the processes involved in this project provide solutions to other unsustainable practices.
