Handwoven Mustard Ikat Tote Bag
The Product
This handcrafted tote bag is made in mustard and cream Pochampally Ikat which is a traditional textile handwoven in Telangana. The bag has two spacious, big compartments where you can carry your laptop, water bottle, snack box etc. It can also accommodate a 13 inch laptop horizontally. It has a small pocket and a zip inside for your mobile, cash and other knick knacks. It's a great bag for your everyday use as well as for office use and can easily replace your ordinary black leather laptop bag. So go stylish and go sustainable. The bag is secured with a zip on top and comes with shoulder length handles made using faux leather. The interior of the bag is waterresistant.
Product Specifications:
Product description: Ikat Tote Bag Mustard
Package contains: 1 Ikat Tote Bag Mustard
Material: Handwoven Ikat Cotton
Colour: Mustard and Cream
Dimensions (cms): 33 x 38 x 10
Weight: 315g
The Story of Ikat
Ikat refers to a resist dyeing technique used to create designs on the fabric. For weaving Ikat, a design is first chosen and bundles of yarn are tightly wrapped together at certain spots and then dyed as many times as is required to achieve the appropriate colours.The tied spots resist the dye ie. they aren't dyed.
What makes ikat different is that the yarns are dyed before being woven into cloth. Once the yarns are dyed and dried, the weaver unties the binding and string them up on the loom before beginning the weaving process.The final colorful pattern emerges as the dyed yarn is woven into cloth. This is an incredibly complicated process, as the weaver has to precisely dye the threads, and line them up correctly so it forms the correct pattern when woven. Typically, Ikat patterns follow geometric patterns, but it is not uncommon to come across motifs of animals, birds and flowers. Pochampally, a town in telangana is a globally famous centre of Ikat weaving. Pochampally ikat textiles get their colour from natural sources only.
Your Impact
This tote bag belongs to The Upcycle Project, born out of Chanchal's process of excellence where every piece of fabric is used. This collection has been put together using the fabric left over from their various other collections. Sustainability is not a choice for us. It is built into our DNA, say the founders of Chanchal and, by supporting this brand, you are making an ecofriendly choice to support fabric upcycling a process that keeps thousands of tons of textile waste out of landfills everyday.
What's more, the fabrics are sourced directly from weaving houses and cooperatives and every bag is handcrafted using traditional techniques. This means that with every bag you buy, you're encouraging Indian crafts and helping provide our artisans a sustainable livelihood.
Why we like it
The intricately patterned tote bag really stands out from the crowd by combining a centuries old craft with a contemporary design. The delicate patterns is testament to the days of painstaking labour required to create each piece. Each bag is truly one of a kind since it is handcrafted and carries the signatures of the artistic process. It is roomy enough to carry all your daily essentials and it transitions easily from a casual day out to a more evening occasion, pairing equally well with an Indian ensemble as with Western outfits.
Sakshi says
As someone who's always on the lookout for traditional, handmade accessories featuring Indian handwoven textile, this pretty tote bag is a fantastic find! The sizing makes it easy to carry when I'm travelling and provides lots of room to carry stuff like passport, keys, phones, cosmetics and wallet. It's also a great option as a gift for a friend or sister who loves handlooms.