Block Print has been a tradition and way of making textiles in India for hundreds of years. Its intricate detail, beauty, and variation have long inspired my design instincts and fabric collecting habits.  Once we started working these textiles into collars and leashes, we knew we needed to create a whole collection. That collection is our latest, The Florals.

 After a lot of research and swatching, we decided to source our fabrics from artisans in the Chhipa community, an old Indian community engaged in Fabric Printing and Dyeing since ancient Indian Civilization. 

One of the things to love about Block Print and purchasing from the artisans in the Chhipa community is that this way of manufacturing textiles is more sustainable than large fabric mills. Unlike giant textile mills that use excessive synthetic colorants that pollute waterways these traditional methods are low impact and support craftsmanship and multi-generational artisan families. 

The crafting process for Block Print starts with an artisan carving (by hand) wooden blocks to create beautiful, intricate patterns. Color is then painted onto the woodblock and printed in repetition on fabric.

Once dried, the crafter repeats this with another block and/ or layer of color that lays over the first. Usually, this is 2-4 colors in varying degrees of detail. One 10-yard piece of fabric might take two skilled people an entire day to create.

We love all the natural variation this process creates, little lines and sways of colors that skirt outside of lines and blur these fabrics from textiles into works of art.  

For The Florals - we made leashes, collars, and bandanas. For extra weathering, we decided to wax each piece in this collection with a blend of beeswax and essential oils, which absorbs into the fabric and helps to keep it water-resistant and give it extra strength and durability. This wax blend also makes it more resistant to dirt and stains to keep your pup looking fresh. 

We’re really happy with how this collection has turned out and love that we’ve been able to combine our craftsmanship with the craftsmanship of others. Thank you so much for your support in making this happen, we know your pups are going to look fly a.f.