RAIN-FED: Kutch drylands · No irrigation, no chemical inputs

Handspun, handwoven Kala Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) from Kutch, cut and sewn in our Guelph studio.

Kala Cotton is a rainfed, short-stapled indigenous variety with a dense hand that only softens with use. This cloth was naturally dyed in rust and jaggery. The stripes were achieved by hand blocking a layer of gum and lime that resists the take of dye - a practice called Ajrakh.

The stripe shifts with what it sits on. Pale wood and linen warm it toward brown; dark timber and stone sharpen it, letting the cream lines carry the table.

Terrain Notes:

• Origin: Kala Cotton, Rapar and Bhachau talukas, Kutch, Gujarat
• Cultivation: Purely rain-fed, no irrigation
• Climate: Arid drylands, monsoon-dependent
• Fibre: Heirloom short-staple cotton, naturally drought-resistant, pest-resistant
• Weaving: Handloom, Kutch, Gujarat
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Specifications:

• Fibre:100% Kala Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum), handspun and handwoven
• Colour: Woodsmoke; naturally dyed in iron rust and jaggery
• Width: 14”
• Length: 95”
• Cut and sewn in Guelph, Ontario
• Expect natural variation in this handwoven textile

A note on care:

• Spot clean and air dry to reduce the need to wash
• When you do wash, wash separately
• pH neutral detergent: Avoid bleach, baking soda, enzyme detergent
• Cold water only
• Dry flat in shade / away from direct sun: Sun may cause fading of natural dye; dryer may damage natural fibres and dyes
• Store away from light, folded in cotton, never in plastic