Khadi and Co: Cloth with a Conscience

To discover true craftsmanship, one must sometimes journey far. For Danish designer Bess Nielsen, that journey began in 1976, when a trip to India first introduced her to khadi, a cloth that is as humble as it is powerful. Hand-spun and handwoven, this revered fabric carries with it centuries of tradition and the revolutionary spirit of India’s Freedom Movement. For Mahatma Gandhi, khadi was as a statement of self-reliance, dignity, and independence.

Khadi and Co. Dress. Image courtesy of Khadi and Co.

For Bess Nielsen, it became a lifelong calling.

Through Khadi and Co, founded in Paris in 2003, Nielsen has created a brand that is both international and deeply rooted. Collaborating for more than 25 years with master artisans across India - from the silk weavers of Bengal to the cotton spinners of Punjab - she bridges the elegance of Danish design with the integrity of Indian handloom. Every thread is hand-loomed, touched kindly by human hands...

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Image Credits:

Lead Image: Versaille dress, crafted from handwoven Andhra cotton from India. Khadi and Co. Photo credit: a unefille.