Art Forms
SHIBORI DYING
Shibori is an art form tie dye technique usually performed on fabrics. This style includes several methods of dyeing cloth with a pattern by stitching, binding, folding, twisting or compressing. Artisans bind sections of cloth with thread to achieve desired patterns. Raw materials used in this process are locally-sourced cotton fabrics and non-toxic vegetable dyes. At Ecofriendly Papers, this art form is applied to handmade recycled cotton paper and the artistic paper thus formed is used to make Journals, Gift bags, Note cards and more. Promotion of this art preserves the age old tradition of tie dye crafts and also ecourages hand craft, providing livelihood to many artisan families.
Paper Making
Our 100% recycled cotton paper is made by artisans in Rajasthan, India, following a generations-old process. First, discarded cotton scraps are collected from the textile industries. Cotton is broken down into fibers using a traditional wheel press and then soaked overnight. Next, the pulp is strained, pressed into pages and hung to dry. After ironing, crisp paper goes either into journals or into the hands of artisans for screen-printing, embroidery or patchwork. The entire process is tree-free, non-toxic, and conserves and filters water for reuse in irrigation.
Recycled Silk Sari fabric
Silk sarees are worn by women all over India with much pride and fanfare. These worn out printed silk sarees are collected from door to door and upcycled into repurposed fabrics. These are then hand embroidered by women artisans using kantha art form. All fabric pieces are different from each other in colour & prints. The intricate art work on silk makes the fabric a masterpiece which can be used and preserved for generations. Upcycling saris reincarnates these beautiful fabrics into eco-chic fashion accessories and stationery while empowering women artisans to build sustainable livelihoods and communities.
Kantha Embroidery
This is a special hand embroidery that is a traditional art form of India. Traditionally women in villages of Rajasthan and West Bengal use this style of embroidery to cover entire fabric surface with thread craft. This art form is usually done without pre drawing of lines and skilled artisans need to be very careful that embroidery lines do not merge into each other when done over large surface areas. This art form provides sustainable livelihoos to a lot of women residing in villages and urban slums. This can be practised at home without any machinery and tools and provides respite where women are not allowed to go out of the house for work and other earning opportunities are negligible.
Oil Marbling
Oil Marbling is the beautiful art of creating colourful flowy patterns on paper by floating oil and water colours on the surface of water held in a tank. The patterns are controlled by careful monitoring and deliberate direction of the flowing colours & oil. Once the pattern is set on the water surface, a paper is gradually put on top and the floating pattern sticks to the paper transferring the unique pattern. This marbled paper is used for gift wraps, gift bags, Journals, Notecards and many more products.