Hand Embroidery
Many of Chandni Chowk’s fair trade products have embroidery work detailing, much of which is stitched by hand. These skilled embroidery techniques date back for generations. Many of our embroiderers work either in small local groups or in their own homes giving them the freedom to manage their own time and working conditions. Below are a few examples of people and techniques we work with.
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Kantha Embroidery - Bangladesh
A number of products on our site are referred to as "The Bangladesh Collection" and these are all ranges made by Aranya Crafts in Bangladesh. Set up and run by Ruby Ghuznavi in 1990, the company's aim was to revive and promote traditional Bangladesh textiles whilst working in partnership with craftspeople, guaranteeing them a fair wage and ensuring that they are not exploited or undervalued. The company specialises in natural dyes, khadi fabrics and Kantha hand-embroidery work. Kantha is a styler of embroidery comprisig designs from tiny running stitches, in its best examples an entire fabric will be coveredin with kantha stitches. The stitching on the cloth gives it a slightly wrinkled effect. |
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Applique
One of our most popular ranges is the Applique collection of cushion covers and curtains. The village that we work with is a fair trade co-operative which specialises in the ancient and skilled art of Appliqueing—stitching shapes of fabric onto a base fabric to form a pattern. The top layer of fabric is cut to shape using a hammer and chisel, and then pasted into position on the main base fabric using a flour and water paste. The edges of the cut fabric are then turned under and stitched into place by hand. The village is in a remote tribal area between India and Pakistan, it is 5 hours drive from Jhodpur (the nearest town) and in a restricted area. As the village is so remote the local people rarely get new customers so continued work with companies such as Chandni Chowk (we have been placing regular orders with them for over 5 years) is vital as a regular source of income. |
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Kashida Collection
Kashida was started about 30 years ago by a small group of four women in Delhi. Their main aim was to work with women from difficult social and economic backgrounds, particularly women from very conservative families who needed help but who were not allowed by tradition to work outside the home. Fortunately, hand embroidery turned out to be one of their traditonal house hold skills. Their whole operation is craft oriented and use hand-woven natural fabrics like cotton and wool, even their embroidery threads are hand dyed for individual customer design requirments. |
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Barmer Embroidery
Many of Chandni Chowks garment collections include hand embroidery work, some of which is made by the Badhai community in the Barmer region of Rajasthan. Working with Anokhi since the 1980's the Badhai community has established a sustainable and all-year round market to help provide a livelihood derived from their traditional embroidery craft. the work is generally distributed amongst the women, who take it home, enabling them to earn a livelihood locally and remain within a family environment.
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Care instructions for Chandni Chowk fabrics 
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