Student of Dezyne E'cole College ,doing her Degree Programme in Bachelors Degree in Fashion Technology +2 Years Diploma Programme in Fashion Design ,NSDC. .Along with the Degree programme the student is also updating his industry required skills of Design through the regular work sessions taken during the 365 days of study at college. www.dezyneecole.com

1. REPORT ON VISIT TO
BAGRU
BLOCK PRINTING
Submitted To:
Dezyne E’cole College, Ajmer
Submitted By:
Mamta Manwani
B. Sc. Fashion Technology,
2nd year

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep
regards to Dezyne E’Cole College for taking us to this visit.
I also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to
the mentors of Dezyne E’Cole College for their cardinal support,
valuable information and guidance.
MAMTA MANWANI
Bachelor's of Science in Fashion Technology
1 Year Diploma In Fashion Technology

3. INTRODUCTION : BAGRU PRINTING
We traveled to Bagru, 30 km from Jaipur for block printing workshop.
Bagru is a town that is famous for their expertise in block printing
and more specifically, their printing with vegetable and natural dyes.
The process is not only painstakingly laborious but anciently
beautiful. It has been perfected over more than 1000 years. The
workshop runs from 10am-5pm.
Bagru printing is one of the traditional techniques of printing with
natural colour followed by the chippas of a remote place of
Rajasthan. The process starts from preparing the cloth to finished
printed fabrics through their indigenous methods. Motifs having some
specialty are transferred onto light coloured background with wooden
blocks following two styles direct and resist style.
Hand block printing has been recognized as a craft through
generations in different clusters in the country. Each cluster follows
its distinctive style & methods, uses locally available natural
materials and motifs of some specialty. 'Bagru' print is that kind of
centuries old traditional art of hand block printing still alive.

4. PROCESS OF BAGRU PRINT
Fabric
washing
Harda Dyeing
Printing
Drying
Drying
Fastening
Boiling
Fabric
Resist Block Printing
Dyeing
Drying
Drying
Fastening
Boiling
washing
Block Printing Resist Dyeing(Dabu)

5. HARDA DYEING
Fabric used for Bagru printing is cotton. To ensure the fabric absorbs
the dye , cotton is dyed using harda powder mixed into water. Once
dyed, the fabric needs to lay flat and dry in the sunlight. The fabric
will have a yellowish tint after this stage, which will later disappear
once washed.
Next we are showed just how important this step is. Fabric that has
and hasn’t been treated with harda is dipped into black dye and you
can see the difference. The untreated fabric is the white fabric on the
left, and the harda treated fabric is the yellow tinted fabric on the
right.
Harda Power Dyeing
Drying

6. NATURAL DYES
The base color of Bagru prints is off- white. Initially, natural dyes like
madder, indigo, pomegranate rind, turmeric etc. were being used as
coloring agents. For the past seventy years Alizarine has been
introduced in place of madder (manzeet).Natural indigo has been
replaced by Synthetic indigo. The main natural colors are prepared in
the following ways by the printers themselves:
1. BLACK (Natural)
Worn-out iron horse-shoes or camel-shoes are soaked in water
(fermented) (example 10 litres of water for 10 kg of horseshoe) to
which molasses (gud) is added [1kg for 10 litres of water]. This
mixture is kept aside for 15days. The process is carried on in a
matka or a separate cement tank specially made for this purpose.
After fifteen days the water is decanted and is used as the black
pigment.

7. NATURAL DYES
2. RED (Natural)
First, a gum paste solution in water is kept overnight and then sieved
through a cotton cloth. Hundred grams of phitakari (boiled in water)
is then mixed in the gum solution. When this color is applied on the
fabric with the help of blocks it appears brown in color, but after it is
put in the (bhatti) furnace the color changes to red.
3. MAROON (Natural)
In order to get this color, red and black colors are mixed in the ratio
of 3:1 respectively i.e. 75% red and 25% black.
The source materials for natural dyes are not only plentiful but also
harmless and non-pollutant. The water from these dye baths is
usually recycled to irrigate vegetable garden of peas, wheat, and
other green vegetables and grains.
Pigment Colors
Other than natural colors, pigment colors are also used for printing.
Some of the pigment colors are:
1) Green
2) Pink
3) Brown
4) Violet
5) Blue
6) Rust
The basic color combinations used for Bagru printing are:
1) Cream , Maroon and Black
2) Black and white
3) Blue (indigo) and white

8. MOTIFS
All the motifs are first carved on wooden blocks which are made by
craftsmen called KHARAUDI. They specialize exclusively in the skill
of hand-carving the designs on the blocks and do not use the electric
machinery. They work with their traditional tools which include a
ruler, compass, saw and wooden maller. A single colored block
measuring 5.5 cms by 9cms, can cost between Rs. 350 and 800,
depending upon the intricacy of the design. One block lasts for a
maximum of 800- 1000mts. of fabric. Each design usually requires a
set of several different blocks, including an outline (rekh), a
background (gad), and filler (datta).
Main patterns carved on the blocks are:
1) PATASHI with its tiny floral designs of buds, leaves and stems.
2) JHAD with its interviewing trendrils and distinctive border lines.
3) HATHI- the elephant
Besides these the other motif used are floral, spiral, geometrical and
figures like fishes etc.

9. PRINTING
Hand block printing is a complex and labor- intensive craft that
involves a variety of skills at different stages: Carving the block
(usually done by craftsmen) preparing the cloth, mixing the dyestuffs,
and finally the printing, dyeing, and washing steps, which may be
repeated several times to obtain a final color and design.
1. Carving the Block
The wooden blocks made by craftspeople called blocks. They are
not using any electrical machinery, but relying on their traditional
tools; compass, saw, routers, rulers, chisels, and wooden mallet.
Each design usually requires a set of several different blocks,
including an outline (rekh), a background (gad), and a filler (datta).
2. Preparing the cloth
The printing process begins with raw, grey cotton cloth which is
either hand-woven or mill-made. The cloth is treated with several
different auxiliaries (for example: bleaching) to make it softer and
more absorbent. The swelling of fibers and opening the pores in
order to absorb the printing paste uniformly, ensures that the dyes
will be colorfast and bright. After this, the fabric is given a primary
creamish- yellow color (pila karma) by applying HARDA SOLUTION.
This solution is invariably a solution of harda power in water without
any addition of oil. The cloth is then dried in the sun and is ready to
start printing.
3. Mixing the dyestuffs
The dyestuffs are mixed in a printing tray which has fixed size
25cms/35cms. First a bamboo frame known as TATI is put inside the
tray. On top of that we place a layer of KAMALI, which is a woolen
cloth. The dye solution, is prepared by mixing the color into the
Binder, and is then poured into the tray, where in gets soaked by the
woolen cloth. After these preparations, printing of the fabric starts.

10. PRINTING THE FABRIC
The printer presses the block into the dye tray and then onto the
cloth until the pattern is complete. For every imprint the block is
pressed into the tray to get a fresh smear of paste. The outline
pattern is done in blocks for the background and highlights in
different colors. Once each pattern is complete, the cloth is ready for
the dye vat. This printing is primarily done by male printers.

11. RESIST DYEING (DABU)
Dabu is a type of mud-resistant block printing which is practiced
primarily in Rajasthan. The distinctiveness of Dabu print lies in its
awe-inspiring eminence and look. In addition, the printing involves
plenty of natural dyes and pastes that are created from vegetables
which makes it environmentally responsive. The procedure of
creating these printed fabrics comprises a lot of manual labor and
absolute uphill struggle. It starts by combining an extraordinary clay
paste known as “Dhabu”. A specific design is then printed on the
cloth and is wrapped up with wooden and clay blocks after which the
saw dust is dotted. After drying the cloth, it is dyed with the preferred
shade. After dying the cloth, it can be dyed with a lighter shade to
offer patterns as well. The process is so prolonged and manual that
the outcome is worth it.

12. RESIST DYEING
Resisted Area
Dyeing in Natural Indigo Colour

13. WASHING, BOILING AND COLOUR
FASTENING
The fabric is then washed in cool water.
The pieces are beaten against the concrete and ready for the final
step.
This is where the color fastening takes place with the help of flowers
from the Dhaura tree. Pieces with red dye is boiled in a separate pot
with alizarin which then turns the once yellowish color red.
Once boiled, they give it a quick rinse, quick spin to dry and they are
done. They dry in the sun.

14. FINAL PRODUCT AND MARKET VALUE
Bagru prints are immensely used in contemporary as well as
conventional garments.
Conventionally, Bagru prints were used mostly for ghagras (skirts),
odhnis (scarves) and pagris (turbans). The printed lengths of rough
cotton about 50 cms wide were typically sewn together for long
skirts.
Today, the products made with Bagru block prints have entered into
Home Furnishings, apparel and accessories.
Although this technique is facing problems against the threat of
globalization, this exotic art of creation is required to be encouraged
in the present context of environmental consciousness.

15. CONCLUSION
We traveled to Bagru, 30 km from Jaipur for block printing workshop.
The process is not only painstakingly laborious but anciently
beautiful. The thing I realised after learning how they use to do this
work was that some beautiful things comes from a look of hard work.
The thing I was amazed about was the making of natural dyes
specially the black colour , the process in which they use to boil the
ingredients for about a month that means they must have been using
the colour produced a month ago. When I interacted with them I got
to know about how important that workshop is for their living, they
have been working there since years. And also one of them told me
about the underground thanks which were filled with the indigo dye
that was 15 feet deep and the water inside have not been replaced
since they were too young. The only conclusion I can make after
visiting that place is “Beauty Is Pain”

16. THANK YOU