Farah Shawls Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal

The production of hand embroidered shawls and stoles is very slow and is unable to meet the ever increasing demand for these exclusive products. Moreover being handmade and in limited availability ,they are comparatively expensive. To increase the production capacity and lower the prices, some traditional shawls are being replicated in power looms to make them more affordable. The designs used are similar to the hand embroidered ones and can also be custom made as per client’s requirements.All shawls and stoles are available in numerous designs both traditional and contemporary. Products are available in numerous colour combinations which include rich bright colours as well as earthy sober tones. Few samples stoles are given in the photos below.

Aari embroidery or crewel work is a speciality of Kashmiri artisans who create it in fine, concentric rings of chain stitch using a long hooked needle known as a crewel. The craft of Aari embroidery has existed in India from the 12th century and was patronized by the Moghul courts. It is a form of very fine embroidery and suited the working of very elaborate and highly refined floral motifs which the royals favored.All shawls and stoles are available in numerous designs both traditional and contemporary. Products are available in numerous colour combinations which include rich bright colours as well as earthy sober tones. Few samples stoles are given in the photos below.

About Kashmir Shawls it is said: "of all Indian textiles none excels in beauty, colour, texture and design - the famous Kashmir Shawl". By way of techniques, the Kashmir shawl can be categorized in two main types- the loom woven or Kani shawls and the needle embroidered or sozni shawls. The shawls are embroidered in various motifs like floral, paisleys, borders, all over work etc with the help of a needle. It is very fine needle work and is carried out on Pashmina, Semi Pashmina and fine wool fabrics.All shawls and stoles are available in numerous designs both traditional and contemporary. Products are available in numerous colour combinations which include rich bright colours as well as earthy sober tones. Few samples stoles are given in the photos below.

Kantha is the famous embroidery of the state of West Bengal, India. Kantha evolved out of necessity to drape or protect against cold. Kontha in Sanskrit means rags. It can rightly be called the recycling art. The precious silks and muslins when became worn-out, women instead of throwing them away, piled them in layers and stitched. Kantha was said to be a lady’s self-expression. The real Kantha narrates a story, the emotions and the life of the artist. Kantha is similar to the decorative running stitch of Japanese sashiko quilting. The entire cloth is covered with running stitches, employing beautiful motifs of folk art, gods and goddesses, flowers, animals, birds and geometrical shapes, as well as themes from everyday activities; that means it can be anything the worker can relate to. The stitching on the cloth gives it a slight wrinkled, wavy effect.Contemporary Kantha as been used by us to make stoles and scarves on silk fabricAll shawls and stoles are available in numerous designs both traditional and contemporary. Products are available in numerous colour combinations which include rich bright colours as well as earthy sober tones. Few samples stoles are given in the photos below.