Sanganer Print Revival Project

Our second block print project was triggered by the IPR conflict in the fashion industry involving a global brand and a famous Indian designer who had bypassed the GI Mark regulations set up by the Government of India with the Sanganer Printers’ Society by producing a range of digitally printed Sanganer prints.

This episode made Dr. Madan Meena realise that there is no comprehensive historical documentation or record of the Sanganer motifs and printing recipes with any museum or institution to legally protect the rights of Sanganer printers and block carvers. Over the last four decades Sanganer has largely switched to screen printing using synthetic dyes which have polluted the surrounding water, land and air for a range of 30 kms. The traditional knowledge associated with hand block printing using natural dyes has almost been lost.

The project aims to document the rich design repertoire of Sanganer prints consisting of hundreds of designs. At the same time it aims to revive the processes and techniques of using natural dyes for printing those traditional Sanganer prints on fine handspun handwoven cotton.

We are greatful to KHS member Yvonne Logan for paying the block carvers for their work in recreating traditional blocks using the traditional customised tools.

The project will result in the publication of a catalogue of traditional Sanganer prints containing actual printed samples. Replicas of more than one hundred vintage textile pieces are being made for museum collections.

Please contact us for more information.