OPAL GARDEN Tablecloth

Size 60"x60", 60"x90"
100% kora (unprocessed & unbleached) cotton
Hand block printed
Contemporary motifs
Low-impact dyes
Machine wash cold. Delicate cycle. Tumble dry low 
Crafted by a displaced community from Northern India

Disclaimer: Due to the handmade nature of our products and variations in device screens, you may find slight variations in color and/or craftsmanship. Even if from the same dye lot, slight variations in color may occur. This is not a defect, but a unique feature of handmade goods.

Description 

Tea time, supper time or party time? Your table will be forever transformed with this unique hand block printed tablecloth, exclusively designed by and for Sustainable Threads.  

Hand block printing is a labor-intensive process that involves carving designs on individual wooden blocks, to which dye is applied and stamped onto the fabric. Several dozen, if not hundreds, of impressions are required to complete a single finished product. Enjoy this creation, made with a whole lot of patience and love!  

Co-ordinated napkins, (Blue Robin & Blue Valley) placemats (Fragrant Meadow) and runner (Starlight) are available to purchase separately.

A Fair Trade product. Handmade by artisans in India.  

How It's Made 

Artisans apply block print patterns to natural, kora cotton - this is unbleached fabric, and is the purest form of cotton. To start printing, an artisan evenly applies dye to a hand-carved wooden block. The fabric is then hand-stamped firmly and steadily, leaving a printed pattern. Dye is frequently added to maintain the same intensity of color. Once the printing is finished with a specific color and block, the artisan cleans the block and must wait for the cloth to dry before continuing. This is a deceptively simple art - each piece features dozens, if not hundreds, of careful impressions. 
The artisan community suffered forced displacement in the late eighties, losing their ancestral homes and farmlands in the process. This work offers a sustainable source of fair income and an off-farm livelihood.