Bags #4551474

Water Hyacinth is an aquatic as they infest still water bodies like lakes & ponds, using upo the oxygen for aquatic life-forms and hence choking them. To counter this problem, numerous villagers and artisans in Assam have come together to make this into a source of income by weaving it into a natural fiber and further weaving it into various utility water hyacinth products. The stalks go through a series of chemical and mechanical treatment to achieve the crimp property of wool for better processing, hence reducing the plants natural adhesive content and softening the fibers to make them fine and fit for knitting and weaving into different handcrafted products.

The leather artisans in Jodhpur have perfected the tanning of cow and goat leather obtained from carcasses to make beautiful-looking leather utility products. Natural oils are used for the unprocessed animal leather and are used in their raw form for the best results. Various techniques like, Kashida embroidery, stamping and embossing are used to create intricate patterns and designs on the leather in this cluster. The process is completely done manually using hands which gives this an edge over the other low quality, leather products existing in the market. Its a completely natural, sustainable process done using ethically-sourced leather.

The Dalit Meghwals of Rajasthan migrated to Kutch, bringing a beautiful leather crafting art form with them. The trade was kept alive by a mutual partnership with nomadic pastoralist Maldharis. When a Maldhari cattle died, the Meghwals used to convert the raw hides into leather. By recycling the dead cattle, the Meghwals used to transform waste it into a product of great utility. Kutchi leather used to be so well-treated and durable that it could even hold water! As such, it was made into long-lasting items like shoes, water bottles, horse saddles and water jugs. The artisans used real silver thread to bind pieces of leather together sometime in the past.

Applique work employs ornamental needlework where pieces of cloth are cut out and then sewn back onto fine fabric to make a pattern. The fabric cut out is designed into popular motifs of the region such as flora, fauna, vines or geometric patterns and then hemmed onto the base fabric to make it more attractive. The colors chosen are vibrant and visually appealing for decor purposes. Different regions in India have their own style and central motifs in their respective applique crafts, some prominent states practicing the same being Bihar and Uttarakhand.

The Gomuza or Gamosa is a clothing article which holds great significance and meaning to the people of Assam. It is a small white rectangular piece of cloth, with borders on three sides and a few motifs on the fourth. Though cotton is the most common material used to weave these gomuzas, silk is used for celebratory and auspicious occasions. The designs on the gomuzas are relatively simple with stripes or checked patterns and only the fourth border is woven with more designs and motifs of flora and vines. An extremely intricate process, it is known for its simplicity and elegant charm and represents the warmth and hospitality of the people of Assam towards their guests, as they greet them by adorning the guests with brand new gomuzas.

This style of weaving originated in Varanasi and has been around since a number of decades. The most distinguishing feature of this style is actually its gold and silver zari or brocade that is generously and skillfully used in the weaving process. The entire fabric is covered with rich ornamentation and even the borders are intricate with minute designs. As most sarees are inspired by Mughal designs, they usually include Islamic motifs such as floral designs, floral nets and stylized leaves.

The Banjara embroidery is specific to the Banjara community and employs not just needlework but also mirror work, beads, and metal work as embellishments. Products recently have become more diverse and colorful to keep up with the growing fashion trends. But traditionally this art form was used to embroider costumes, handbags, and pouches for rituals or everyday use. The motifs used are mostly symbolic and are drawn from nature and geometry. With both intricate and colorful patterns, it makes an attractive addition to ones accessories collection.

Jute is the second most popular natural plant fiber and is available in abundance in the sub-tropical regions of India namely Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura. The jute fibers are dried and knit into threads. The threads are further woven into jute fabrics to be further hand-stitched into the desired jute product. In fact, the cleaned fiber, the threads and the fabrics are all used to make beautiful craft products like bags, rugs, carpets, hangings, footwear, coasters, jewelry, show pieces, etc. Some very fine quality jute is also used to make furnishing material and finished apparel as well.

The Banjara embroidery is specific to the Banjara community and employs not just needlework but also mirror work, beads, and metalwork as embellishments. Products recently have become more diverse and colorful to keep up with the growing fashion trends. But traditionally this art form was used to embroider costumes, handbags, and pouches for rituals or everyday use. The motifs used are mostly symbolic and are drawn from nature and geometry. With both intricate and colorful patterns, it makes an attractive addition to ones accessories collection.

Kutch leather is handpainted, handembroidered to make shopping bags, sling bags, purses.Durable and stylish these are fancy lifestyle accessory.