Insights | insight into cloth creations from across the globe — and some serious souvenir inspiration for your next trip:

Unique Fabrics

MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD are known for their traditional textiles, often bright and intricately embellished fabrics showcasing designs unique to their nations of origin. Examples of famous textiles can be seen in iconic traditional dress, from Scottish kilts to Japanese kimonos, as well as decorative pieces meant to be enjoyed for their artistic value. For insight into cloth creations from across the globe — and some serious souvenir inspiration for your next trip:

Batik 

A symbol of Indonesian culture, wax-resist batik cloth features repeating patterns either drawn by hand or pressed on using a copper stamp. Heaps of cloth are pounded with mallets, designed, and then coated in paraffin or beeswax, which is later scraped away and leaves only a thin coating. Java is especially famous for its batik prints, though the art is practiced throughout Indonesia. Coastal regions are known for incorporating vibrant hues while inland batiks are typically subtler. Traditional designs carry emblematic meanings said to bring good luck, and historically, certain patterns were reserved for Indonesian royalty. One of the most recognizable textiles the world over, batik was named a symbol of intangible Indonesian heritage by UNESCO in 2009.

Lotus Silk

Lotus silk is a type of textile produced using delicate lotus stem fibres. The fabric first originated in Myanmar, and is now also woven by smaller-scale cottage industries in Vietnam. Due to the complexity and labour-intensive nature of weaving lotus fibres, lotus silk is considered one of the most expensive fabrics in the world.

Kuba cloth

Characterized by neutral colours and rectangular patterns, Kuba cloth comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where men and women alike wear skirts made from that fabric during traditional ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. Kuba cloth is created out of raffia cloth, made from palm leaf fiber, which is pounded in a mortar before being ornamented with stitch work. The resulting cloth takes on a texture similar to velvet. Some versions are dyed red using twool, which is sourced from tropical trees and said to be imbued with magical properties that protect the wearer. Interestingly, Kuba cloth’s geometric designs are stitched slightly irregularly, which some suggest parallels traditional Congolese music, known for its slightly off-beat phrasing.

Yuzen silk

Many kimonos are made from Yuzen silk, which traces back to Japan’s Edo period. The name refers to a dyeing process implemented after the silk is drawn with patterns meant for various occasions. Two examples are the black-dyed kurotomesode kimono, worn by married women during formal ceremonies like weddings, and its counterpart, the furisode kimono, which is worn by single women on similar occasions. After it’s dyed and hand-painted, Yuzen cloth is embroidered with motifs such as Japanese flowers or birds. The two predominant methods for creating Yuzen silk, known as Kyoto Yuzen and Kaga Yuzen, incorporate classical imagery and more realistic designs, respectively. Beyond kimonos, this delicate textile is also used to make beautiful fans, coin purses, and other items.

Marash embroidery

Marash embroidery is unique to Armenia, where girls were historically taught needlework techniques from a young age. Women ranging from the nobility to the peasantry learned the arts of weaving and lacework, as well as how to embellish textiles with gold and silver thread and small ornaments like beads, stones, and pearls. Cities like Yerevan, Ani, and Marash are famous for their embroidery, with the latter being some of the best known. Beyond geometric patterns, Marash embroidery also illustrates figures like plants, animals, and religious icons in its designs.

Javanese Batik

Batik, or wax resist on cloth, originated in India long ago; the Javanese developed the finer version that is now famous there. Javanese batiks are so intricately detailed - they’re brimming with life. After visiting various batik workshops and seeing the process with its many layers and precise steps, I really began to feel the life in the textiles because of the many hands and painstaking hand-work that goes into making each piece. This shows snippets of my fascinating batik journey in Java.

Weganool

WEGANOOL is a plant-based alternative to wool. The textile is made of 70% rain-fed regenerative organic cotton, 5% of Calotropis Pod Fibres, and 25% Calotropis Stem fibres.

Calotropis grows wildly at deserted lands with no water, no care, no pesticides. Production of our textile is mostly done by hand - it empowers women and helps the rural economy in dry parts of the country where jobs are unsecured.

WEGANOOL manufacturing is a waste-free process. Once fibres are extracted, the concentrated and fermented leftovers from the plant are mixed with different Ayurvedic herbs and made into ARKA- a very efficient bio - nutrient and insect repellent.