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TEXTILES OF INDIA: RAJKA

TEXTILES OF INDIA: RAJKA

October 13, 2023
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Started in the early 1980s, Rajka was created with the idea of celebrating and sharing the textile traditions of India with the western market. Traditions which have been under constant pressures from modernisation and globalisation.



Started by Rajshree Sarabhai with the aim of making contemporary products, using traditional making skills of hand embroidery, appliqué, quilting, tie-dye and block printing, to name a few. By creating designs with a global appeal, Rajka reached global markets, with one of their first customers being The Conran Shop. This started collaborations with large design companies.

Based in the west of India, Rajka works with practitioners in Kutch and southern Rajasthan, regions that have long histories of migration, where ideas have been shared and traded for thousands of years, going back to the Indus Valley civilization. Textiles have played a pivotal part in sustaining these cultural identities with skills passed down through generations and preserved with the support of organisations such as Rajka that bring awareness to and resources to safeguard unique crafts.



Rajka's global reach is impressive, having worked with Designers Guild (UK), Jurgen Lehl (Japan), Muji (Japan), V&A Museum shop (UK) and Christina Kim-Dosa (USA). Their products are wide ranging with collections of furnishings, quilts and garments made using natural fibres and hand-weaving techniques. One fabric, Kala cotton, an indigenous variety of cotton, provides warmth in winter while keeping one cool in summer, is a fine example of how Rakja have preserved unique textiles of the region for today’s global market.



During the early 2000's they recognised a growing market in India that appreciated preserving traditional textile techniques and materials with a contemporary design. Their most recent venture, Keri, was set-up with the urban Indian in mind, who wanted to wear garments which are contemporary but have a strong connection with Indian traditions. Samvit, founder of Rakja, explains;

“We mostly see Indian textiles being represented in wedding wear, but very little in the everyday semi-casual clothing, which we wanted to build. My wife Ritu Sarabhai is now involved in the design process for Keri, which has created additional demand for the textile crafts.”



Located 5 minutes from Ahmedabad airport in a place called Sadar Bazar, Rajka will be a special visit during the Selvedge Textile Tour of India 2024. Rakja will demonstrate a range of embroidery techniques used to create their textiles, as well as fabric dyeing, tailoring work and a tour of their production. Followed by workshops in different textile techniques such as hand embroidery, quilting, mirror work and block printing at their nearby farmhouse.

The Selvedge Textile Tour to India will run 14 February - 13 March 2024. Find out more and register your interest HERE.



Images courtesy of Rajka

Find out more and follow Rakja:
www.rajka.com
@rajkadesigns
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