Series no. 1001 | THE PASTORALIST | Kachchh Shawl
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION* (GI) DETAILS:
GI: Kachchh (kuh-ch) Shawls
GI no: 174
Type: Handicraft
State: Gujarat
Country: India
Made with hand-spun yarn
Extra-weft weaving
Handwoven on a loom
Embellished with traditional motifs inspired by the lifestyle of local pastoralists
17 hours weaving time
4 hour finishing time
3-4 artisan process (from spinning to finishing)
COMPOSITION:
Dye-free
100% pure wool
Wool sourced from mature sheep and goats (not lambs and kids) in Gujarat and Rajasthan in India
Very durable, light weight, rugged texture, earthy colours, softens with use
CARE:
Wash in cold water with mild (e.g. herbal) shampoo, dry flat. Rinse in diluted white vinegar (any brand) for brightness and softness.
SOCIO-CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Traditionally, woven for the local pastoralists or shepherds - longstanding patrons of Gujarat's weaving community - Kachchh shawls are woven with wool obtained from the pastoralists' goats and sheep or with locally grown cotton (kala or black cotton). The interdependence between the weavers, pastoralists and farmers made their respective trades, not just financially, but also socially and environmentally sustainable.
HAND-SPUN YARN
The wool or cotton fibre was once spun into yarn by hand on a spinning wheel. This socially empowering craft, now replaced with faster and cheaper textile mills, is sadly dying a slow death and unavailable commercially.
Hand-spun yarn, often dyed with locally available vegetable/plant dye, was then meticulously woven on a handloom into textiles used as head wrap/turban, shoulder cloth, and other pieces of clothing. The handcrafted fabric featured meaningful motifs, inspired by the lives of the farmers or the pastoralists. These motifs are now an integral part of the design language and heritage of Bhuj weavers.
The finished product exhibits a unique three dimensional texture, wears beautifully with use and is more durable than its flatter-looking machine-spun counterpart. From the famous khadi to the The Pastoralist Kachchh Shawls commissioned for this project, hand-spun is for patrons who like their favourites to last.
Series no.1001 includes six especially commissioned shawls from one such family of highly-skilled Bhuj weavers who still weave authentic Kachchh Shawls with hand-spun yarn. The hand-spun yarn for this capsule collection was bought at fair price from homemakers in Rajasthan by the head weaver, Vankar Premji. These rugged multipurpose pieces of textile are durable enough to weather the sub-zero temperatures of both Indian deserts and Canadian snow belts.
Give it a go!
*GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (GI)
GI is a protection given under TRIPS to products that are unique because of the geography of their origin, such as champagne from Champagne, France and Darjeeling tea from Darjeeling, India. Kachchh Shawls are a proud recipient of GI.
Lear more about what is geographical indication.
