Meet the Artisans at R.B Fabrics

R.B Fabrics is based out of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, established 26 years ago in 1986 by Abdul's father. They specialize in tie n dye processes and make a variety of products ranging from scarves, sarong, stoles and bags to cushion covers, pillow covers, quilts, bed covers, table covers, runners and table napkins. R.B Farbrics has come a long way from working as a small block printing unit to partnering with the likes of Anokhi, AIACA and many more. It now provides livelihood to 25 men and women in it's region. The best part - for the first time ever, we're introducing the actual artisans who craft these beautiful tie n die cushions and curtains! 

Step 1: A regular un-dyed, unbleached cloth is tied up in different patterns before dipping into the dye. 

Above: Farida beginning to craft a new curtain

Step 2: This tied up cloth is bought for dying into desirable colors. These dyes are made using fast and azo free (non-carcinogenic) colors. Dyes like remazol are dissolved in boiled water and then blended with color fixative so that they don't run after or during washes. 

Above:  Mohammed Ismail and Mohammed Yusuf

Step 3: If the design calls for more than 2 colors in it, the dyed cloth is tied all over once again and re-dyed to get the necessary effects. Some hard work eh! It is a very time consuming process and takes anywhere between 8 to 18 hours for one spool alone.

Meet the other artisans in Abdul's team!

Lakshmi twining away meters and meters of cloth

Jannat Bano peeping through her bifocals, all engrossed.

Both picture above: Razia Bano

Imtiyaz Ali

Sometimes it's just impossible to comprehend that pieces of such extreme perfection and beauty that we use to beautify our own homes and lives simply come from humble homes such as theirs! It's worth giving a second thought to the lives of these artisans who continue to fight their battle with industrialization, struggling to keep our culture and the very essence of being human alive! Join us in supporting the artisans!!

If you are an artisan cluster or an organization and would like to have your artisans featured on our blog, please please write to us! We would love to hear from you!

Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing

Jaipur has been my mom's hometown, so as kids it used to be often that we'd visit to spend time with grandparents. At the time, as a kid, it  wasn't really a city of my dreams - in fact i always found it dirty and hot and cribbed about all the things that were wrong with it.  I'd rather go visit a city that had the Essel World (India's Disney Land in Mumbai) or Appu ghar in Delhi, but never to the oh! so boring palaces and museums of Jaipur. The funny part, that same visit now feels like a surreal dream sitting here in the US even though i so badly want to just wander and explore the beautiful city all over again with this new found passion! Mom's family moved out of the city almost a decade ago, about time when i had just started my career as an architect and sigh! how i regret not having taken advantage of the several past visits back then! 

Well, one of the UNESCO's award winning museums for 'Cultural Preservation', amongst so many others that i missed visiting in Jaipur is the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. This place is very close to my heart because of the history associated with it, especially since the inception of The Green Elephant. Anokhi is an initiative of founder director Rachel Bracken-Singh and husband Pritam Singh. For the right use of this palace after renovation (by Pritam's father John Singh) back in 1989, several concepts were reviewed and a plan for developing it as a museum for block printing was put together. This museum is now dedicated for the preservation, collection and interpretation of the endangered craft of block printing. It definitely seems to have contributed a great deal in raising the appreciation of this fragile but living art form in the eyes of the world since it's inception. The Anokhi Museum hosts a permanent exhibit, a temporary gallery along with several educational programs and workshops that enable visitors to experience the craft of block printing hands on.

Anokhi has now grown to become a brand of its own that offers a diverse and delectable variety of products ranging from apparel like skirts, pants, tops, shirts, kurtis, coats to home textiles and other accessories. "Anoki's designs blend contemporary sensibilities with traditions of excellence." - truly. Well here's from where i'll let Anokhi's seriously beautiful products  along with some phenomenal product photography do the talking by themselves. Hope you'll love them as much as i do!

My favoritest is this beautiful, free flowing red dress! Which is yours?

Photo Credits: Anokhi Website

Tribal Collection by Decorative Carpets and Tim Campbell

For the launch of their new Tribal Collection, Decorative Carpets asked Los Angeles-based architect and designer, Tim Campbell, to stage a window display using their new rugs. Here's a peek at his design, inspired by a trip to Africa.

Decorative Carpets are a privately held, family-owned business dedicated to the proud tradition of their craft. For over 50 years, Decorative Carpets has been a leading source of hand-tufted custom rugs, broadloom, and specialty flooring for the interior design, contract, and hospitality markets. Their products beautify floors around the world, from hotel lobbies and suites to the finest residential interiors. 

What is hand tufting?

Hand tufting is an art that requires a high level of skill. To create a hand-tufted rug, the design is first transferred to a primary backing. The craftsmen use the design as a guide to handgun the location of each colored tuft. A secondary backing is added to glue the tufts in place before the top loops are sheared to create the final pile height.

What's so different about it?

Hand tufting offers the ability to make carpets and rugs in any shape, size, and design. Large pieces can be made without seams and an infinite variety of textures and colors can be added to create a truly unique piece of art for the floor.

Am just amazed with the beautiful patterns, so simple - so colorful! 

What do you think?

Content and Image Sources: 1

Pretty Pictures

Today i don't have any elaborate stories or explanations to accompany this post but just a little eye candy, our small way of saying hello to all our reader. Hope you like it :)

And how could i leave you without sharing what you could find in our little shop here at 

The Green Elephant. 

If you like these, find more designs here. Will come back with more next week, till then have a wonderful brighty and sunny weekend! Chao!

Color Trends-Spring and Summer!

Its that time of the year again!And we love it here @ TGE..
We are getting charged up for the upcoming fairs in Summer.We are introducing a whole new line of products & accessories.
Its Spring and almost Summer specially here in Florida-and the Highpoint market trend says GO BRIGHT!!

 That is exactly what we have in mind right now-sun-surf-and bright colors..Here's a preview of our new collection!!

 Tangerine and oranges are Absolutely IN!!

And who would not like patterns with textures to it.

Personally i simply Adore these curtains.They come in regular sizes.

This was just a preview!We are also introducing Kids collection!
Keep your eyes wide open-we are going BRIGHT and FRESH this year! You know where to get hold of us now!!Give us a shout if you like these.

Coppy Cat

I am delighted to present before you  -  Coppy Cat!

Started by Sneha Arora, a design graduate from NIFT, Coppy Cat is a product label launched for the love of story telling through design. With every great design comes a greater inspiration.
They say nothing is original. In this world full of copy cats who love stealing other’s work to call it their own, here comes one who may not be original but 100% authentic.
Inspired by everyday things and people around us, Coppy cat creates products that narrate their stories.

Here's sharing with you a casual rendezvous with Sneha.I will also let the pictures do the talking.

With a studio that inspires!

and a doodle board for inspiration

1.Why the name - Coppy cat(what is behind the name??) :
Truthfully .. i am very fond of stationary.. while in college i had wanted to design notebooks... so had come up with the name copy cat.. 'copy' being the colloquial term for notebooks in our country.. so years later when i thought of starting products.. the Name stayed.... and also the fact that i design from INSPIRATION...as they say nothing in this world is original... We admire a lot of people and their work, and honor them in our designs by using the way their work makes us feel to create our own….. 

2. Please give us a brief bio, where are you from and how did you start work in this field?:

I am basically born and brought up in Kolkata.. i studied Fashion at NIFT after which i moved to Bangalore for 3 years to work with a corporate retail firm, when one fine day.. i decided that retail was not my calling.. and quit my job and came back home to do something that i could relate to better I then started my own line of apparel..... one month into the job my tailor ran away and it took me a while to look for another one... and so as i like to put it... 'while the tailor was away.. the cat came to play'.. in that break i launched my product line....'Coppy Cat'

3. Tell us more about your work, if you do something else professionally besides the product design.- Professionally under my apparel Label i design Dresses for women.

4.How do you promote your work-do you sell anywhere outside of India? We promote our work basically through facebook.... we Ship products anywhere across the globe.... we would start selling through some online sites in UK  and US soon...... and definitely some nice Bloggers like you help us share our work with the world... :)

5.Do you customize your work? 

We Do customize but only for bulk orders..

6. How do you bridge the gap between the business side of designing?
A Million Dollar Question.... Seriously speaking Still learning how to do Business... being designers we get so lost in the design that selling takes a secondary position... have learnt a lot of things in these few months ... waiting to learn more till i can completely balance both.

7. Have you experimented with Eco-friendly materials yet?
Well we have been Recycling materials to make our products.. like the frame artworks are printed on recycled old book paper which otherwise would get thrown away... the lamps are made from recycled alcohol bottles for the hangover to stay with you forever..;)... the notebook covers are made from recycled board... the cushions are made from recycled jute and dusters.... our tags are made from recycled old tea packaging. We are trying to be as Eco friendly as possible.

Talk about love for recycling!

8. What do you do when you are  not designing?
Well when i am not designing either i am running around getting things done , or i am glued to the computer approaching people and learning new things... of lately haven't got time for leisure at all.... its almost been all work and no play..... but i am sure it hasn't made a dull cat..:p

The apparel line speaks for itself!Beautiful summer collection!

 

Picture credits: Sneha Arora.