This stunning square-shaped cushion is a work of art. It was crafted entirely by hand by expert craftsmen in Hyderabad who use an ancient and elaborate dyeing and weaving technique called Ikat. The vibrant mustard contrasting with the burgundy and the dramatic print of the design shows off the characteristic blurriness of traditional, handmade ikat fabric.
In India, the history of Ikat extends as far back as the 7th century. Today, this ancient technique is a part of India’s rich and varied textile culture. Hyderabad, Telangana, where our ikat fabric is made, is known as one of the ancient weaving centers of India and has a long history of ikat weaving.
Creating Ikat textiles requires great skill and creativity. A design is mapped onto stretched yarn, then the yarn is bundled and bound before it is resist-dyed in elaborate patterns according to the design. Once the yarn has been dyed it is woven on a traditional wooden handloom to create a beautiful, unique piece of fabric.
The ikat weaving technique has been passed down from father to son over many generations. It takes remarkable skill and years of learning, patience and dedication to become an Ikat artisan and create these pieces of art.
Origin: Hyderabad, India
Dimensions: 45x45cm
Materials: 100% cotton ikat
Care: Dry-clean only.
Note: Because the ikat fabric of our cushions is handmade, variations will naturally occur from item to item.
There may be slight changes in colour due to the lighting in the photo or the screen which you are viewing from.
In a small village, just outside of Jaipur, we walked into a small family workshop, where for centuries, the ancient craft of traditional handloom weaving has been passed down from father to son. The unique and colorful cushions, crafted entirely by hand, caught our eyes and our hearts.
Thread by thread, knot by knot, the sounds, smell and energy of the workshop swirled into an energy we had never felt before.
Time flew by and we couldn’t bring ourselves to leave. The colorful yarns braided and blended in our life story, creating beautiful bonds of enchanted traditions. That was when we realized, this story is bigger than us. That we needed to bring these stories and their magic back home and share them with a wider community.
The items we collect at NAMA tell the story of a distant land, its people and their exceptional craftsmanship. We invite you to share in this story, our journey and memories.