The Art of Handblock Printing

We are lucky enough to work with a wonderful team of artisans in India and beyond in developing our ever expanding range for So Souk. All our fabrics are hand printed for us in Jaipur using the traditional art of block printing. This technique has been used for printing in Rajasthan for around 500 years. 

Every design is carefully carved into a wooden block by hand. Each block is then dipped into paint and applied to the fabric by hand, each layer at a time. Some of our more intricate designs have 4 or 5 different colour prints and some have only one colour on a white background - both of these types of handblocked designs have different challenges for the printer. The nature of block printing by hand means there can be small variations in the colour and design which we think truly adds to the beauty and uniqueness of every product. 

 Our master printer Dinesh has come from a family of hand block printers and was taught the ancient technique in his family, passed down through the generations. He has a careful eye and is in charge of one team of printers at a small hand block printing factory on the outskirts of Jaipur.

Each metre of fabric that we use to make our quilts, tablecloths and bath bags is printed using this technique. And from design through to block making, printing, cutting, stitching and delivery of an item the process can take up to 6 months to complete. Slow production techniques, small batches and everything done by hand means we can enjoy the beauty of this age old tradition knowing that we are supporting artisans along the way.