If you’ve ever looked closely at two Passion Lilie dresses side by side, you may notice that no two pieces are the same. Even the exact style may have slight variations in design. This is not a bug, it’s a feature! These tiny differences are the signature of hand block printing.
Unlike machine-printed fabric, every Passion Lilie block print is created by skilled artisans who stamp each color into organic cotton by hand, requiring incredible diligence and precision. Your Passion Lilie outfit is one of a kind, just like you.
What is hand block printing?
Hand block printing is a centuries old technique in which carved wooden blocks are dipped into dyes one at a time and stamped on fabric. While the art of block printing fabric likely originated in China about 4500 years ago, artisans in India made block printing the visual art it is today. Indians have passed down the tradition through family members for hundreds of years, with an unparalleled knowledge of natural plant dyes and pattern dictionaries.
Over the last two hundred years, block printing has struggled as consumers turn more and more to cheaply printed synthetic materials. The knowledge and art were nearing extinction, dying off with each generation. The past few decades have seen a resurgence of small, artisan-dedicated workshops in villages throughout India, where the craft is being preserved and honored. This craft is built around culture, community, and generations of knowledge and history. It is beautifully imperfect and human, and we believe it’s worth protecting.
Step 1: Carving the Wooden Block
Once a block printed design has been approved for production, the first step in bringing it to life is carving the printing block. The master carver prepares a teak wood block by sanding and coating the surface with a white paste to make the surface smooth and uniform.
Next, he traces the design one color at a time and taps it onto the surface of the block to mark where it will be carved. Finally, the master carver will chisel the empty space from the block using a chisel and a wooden hammer so that the design remains along the printing surface.
Artisans use one block per color, so an intricate floral print, for example, may require 4-8 individual blocks. Carving each block can take several days to over a week, and then they’re soaked in oil for up to two weeks to prevent the wood from cracking or warping.
Step 2: Preparing the Fabric
Passion Lilie’s 100% organic cotton fabrics are dyed and prepared at a Fairtrade-certified factory in Tirupur, then transported to Bangalore for block printing. When the fabric and blocks are ready, the artisans firmly pin the fabric flat on a special table made especially for block printing.
The table is usually 6 meters in length and has at least 10 layers of jute fabric, a blanket layer and a thick cotton sheet on the top that is tightly tucked in from all sides of the table. All of these layers help the block print to properly absorb and print onto the fabric.
Mixing the Dyes
At Padmini’s block printing studio, she and her artisan team mix GOTS-certified organic dyes to match the Pantone colors Passion Lilie’s designer Katie Schmidt requests. They pour the dye into pads with layers of gauze depending on the dye saturation needed for printing.
Printing by Hand
Once dyes, fabric, and blocks are prepared, hand block printing can begin. Artisans dip the block into the dye pad and move along the length of the table. They carefully place the block onto the fabric and strike it with the heel of their hand or a hammer.
For each color in the design, the artisan applies the stamp separately with its own block after the previous color has dried. Each color requires a different carved block, perfect alignment, and its own drying time. One misaligned block can ruin several yards of fabric. Some artisans spend decades mastering the perfect pressure needed for a crisp print. The more colors in a garment, the more time-consuming and therefore costly the fabric.
Why We Love Block Printing
Each piece of block printed clothing is a unique work of art. It’s an honor to support the artisans who are preserving centuries-old traditions and creating heirloom quality garments. We appreciate their commitment to slower, eco-friendly production.
Passion Lilie’s Hand Block Printing Partners
Your Passion Lilie products are hand block printed at Tharangini Studio, a woman-owned workshop in Bangalore. We’ve been working with Padmini and Tharangini for more than a decade because we love their work as well as their ethical, sustainable business practices.
Tharangini prioritizes fair wages, private medical insurance, and pandemic support. They offer free community outreach programs and champion environmental stewardship through local sourcing, minimal waste, and organic GOTS certified dyes.
We love Tharangini’s commitment to preserving traditional techniques, taking good care of the artisans who work there, and the beautiful products they make for Passion Lilie.
Block Printing FAQs
Is block printing durable?
Hand block printing is extremely durable because the ink is pressed directly into absorbent fibers (at Passion Lilie, we use 100% organic cotton). The block print design becomes part of the fabric and can withstand years of wear and aging.
Does block printing fade?
After our fabrics are block printed, they dry in the sun to prevent future fading and then undergo a curing process to permanently set the color. While the colors may soften over time, there are things we can do to help preserve the color. We recommend washing in cold water on a gentle cycle, then line drying them out of the sun. Extended exposure to direct sunlight and UV rays can cause bright colors to fade. If your garment needs to be pressed (uncommon with Passion Lilie clothes), use a low heat setting and iron on the reverse side of the fabric.
Why is block printing expensive?
Hand block printed clothes are more expensive because they reflect the higher labor input, slower production speeds, and the skill that goes into producing the garment. Because Passion Lilie is a fair trade brand, our labor costs are higher than brands that produce clothing in fast fashion factories. The cost of labor is our largest expense because fair wages are non-negotiable. When you see suspiciously inexpensive block printed garments, that’s usually a sign of unfair labor practices or mechanical shortcuts.
How long does it take to make block print fabric?
The block printing process takes 2-3 weeks depending on the complexity of the design, number of colors used, and the fabric being printed upon.
- Block preparation and carving: 1-2 weeks
- Setup and stamping: 1-3 days
- Drying and curing: 24 hours to several weeks
Is every piece exactly the same?
The beauty of hand block printed pieces is that no two are exactly the same. Hand printing leaves microvariations in pressure, dye absorption, and alignment. These tiny differences are almost imperceptible – anything truly noticeable is scrapped to protect the integrity of the craft. At Passion Lilie, our waste materials build our zero-waste accessory and home goods collection. Any smaller scraps left after that are donated or recycled through non-profits in India that repurpose fabric waste for various projects.
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