This Entrepreneur Is Reviving Jaipuri Handblock Printing

Since time immemorial, hand block printing has been Jaipur's prime attraction However, manual printers were left in deep waters with growing modernisation and everyone upgrading to better technology. Also known as woodblock printing, it is an ancient method of printing textile and is renowned for its tropical designs and vibrant colours. The workers use wooden blocks carved with intricate designs to put a print that usually covers the entire fabric manually. While its popularity in India is fading gradually, the country exports block printed textiles to more than 71 countries globally.

Started This Business In 2020

Sonia Rajesh, a Kerala-based entrepreneur, previously ran a garment business selling all kinds of fabric. However, in 2020, she moved her focus to sell the hand block printed clothing from Jaipur. "We opened this shop in June 2020. I chose this trend because it's handmade and brings out the raw talent of our Indian artisans. In Jaipur, several poor people have been doing hand block printing for generations. So with Ritih, one of the main objectives was to revive the traditional dressing patterns in a modern way," she told The Logical Indian.

Already Receiving Orders From Across The States

" In contemporary times, all those brands that sell vintage-style dresses charge hefty amounts from their customers. The second reason I moved from selling all kinds of fabric to this particular one was that with quality products, I also wanted to make sure that people have something in their wardrobes that signifies India's rich history and tradition," she added.

In just one year, the venture has made its place in people's hearts, and now she has started receiving orders from other states as well.

When asked why she began the business during COVID lockdown, she mentioned that the idea was on her mind for a long time. When the pandemic hit, she said that she could not imagine what those poor workers would have faced since hand block printing was their only source of income. "Therefore, as soon as things became a bit better and the market started opening up, I knew this was my chance, and I grabbed it, " said Raesh.

Block printing is known to have been used in India since the 12th century, though the method is said to be discovered 2,000 years ago. Indian artisans have made this type of textile printing a distinct art by passing down the ancient knowledge with generations.

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