Block printing textiles

Block printing textiles using Khadi Printing Technique

Khadi is a popular hand block printing technique with many of these printed textiles in high demand amongst fashion trends today. It is the process of printing light shades onto a white or traditionally darkened, coloured fabric. This is due to the harsh nature of the paste enabling the print to stand out.

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Khadi Paste

Khadi is a thick white coloured paste prepared by mixing titanium dioxide as a white pigment along with a binder. Stains can be added to generate different colour combinations. The textiles are not printed with Khadi colour as the pigments wouldn’t show up on dark fabrics, but instead the colour is resting on the surface, secured in place by the organic gum used as the glue in the paste. As the printing ink doesn’t permeate through the fabric, Khadi prints are easy to identify with pattern only visible on one side of the fabric.

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Kahdi printing on fabrics

Although this is one of the easiest printing methods, it requires considerable practice to achieve a good print as the smearing and cleansing fastness of these prints isn’t optimal. Due to the nature of the paste, it dries quickly and can result in uneven saturation of the blocks leading to unbalanced prints. The paste can stiffen the fabric and should not be used when printing with sharp lines or intricate designs. Helpful tips for the best results include properly mixing the paste and handling the fabric gently.

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If visiting India, these pastes can be picked up from local markets. You’ll see most sarees, salwar kameez, lehengas, rajasthani dresses using this stunningly beautiful technique. There are many different Indian printing techniques contributing to the wonderful array of the fabrics you see today.

 Colouricious Holidays

Khadi printing is one of the many methods of block printing textiles our guests are taught on a Colouricious Holiday. Travel India with like minded people and experience block printing with traditional block printers, honing this beautiful craft to create your own gorgeous fabrics. Choose from the widest selection of hand carved blocks to print with, see how the blocks are made and immerse yourself in all the wonderful ancient crafts India has to offer. Visit www.colouriciousholidays.com to find out more.