Manila Dress

• Short dress with A-line silhouette
• Oversized elbow length sleeves
• Square neckline in front and back
• Front button placket
• Side pockets with piping detailing
• Mid weight linen-like fabric
• Shade of indigo varies from piece to piece due to the handmade nature of this fabric
• 100% cotton khadi
• Made in India

HAND BLOCK PRINTED

We collaborate with a family of 7th generation master printers in Bagru, India to create our block printed fabric.

Each part of the process of this ancient technique takes place in this community: hand carving blocks out of wood, creating Azo-free dyes, hand printing the fabric, and washing and setting the final textiles.

INDIGO DYED

Our indigo fabric is hand block printed in small batches by a family of 7th generation master printers in Bagru, India, using natural indigo dye and the “dabu” printing method.

Mud is stamped onto fabric to form a print. Then sawdust is applied to create a barrier before the fabric is dipped into a 12’ deep indigo vat. The indigo is mixed with other natural substances, like pomegranate, to achieve a vibrant blue color.

The hue of blue can vary from piece to piece due to weather, humidity, and time in the indigo vat. We believe this is the beauty of the handmade process.

Due to the inherent nature of this natural dye, special care is required. Minimal dye transfer is possible in both laundry and in daily use by excessive rubbing, and sunlight will fade the blue dye over time.

HAND SPUN & HAND LOOMED

Our khadi fabric is hand loomed using hand spun yarns. Artisan weavers use a spinning wheel to hand spin natural fibers into yarn. Then, they weave the yarn into fabric on a loom using pedals and shuttles. The whole process takes place without the aid of electricity.

“Kitties,” or bits of the environment caught in the fibers, are inherently part of the fabric and aren’t seen as defects but rather add to the character of the fabric.

This technique creates a breathable and durable fabric with a linen-like texture that will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.