Weaving from Memory

Now that she had a blueprint, she needed people to manifest this vision. She found two weavers. “The first one I found was a 90-year-old man, who had seen the sari being woven 40 years ago. Thankfully, the weavers I found were able to recreate the weave and technique,” says Jain, 39. She started with weaving stoles and towels, the checks lending the fabric a more contemporary appeal. A meeting with Jaya Jaitly led to an order for 100 saris, which found buyers immediately.

Hemlata Jain with an artisan

“When I started out with patteda anchu, in 2014, I had just one loom. Everyone said, they might not work. But I made sure that we contemporised them. These saris don’t need a fall, or even ironing. The border is broader and thicker, and the fabric is also coarser, making it less prone to wrinkles. You can even do away with the petticoat. I have also added a double palla and made the sari reversible, making it a bargain,” shares Jain, who now has a team of 30 weavers and has priced the saris from Rs 2,500 onwards.

Making the artisans come to terms with changing aesthetics has been a struggle. For instance, they would not work with black colour, as it was considered inauspicious. “We just can’t only have reds, maroons and mustards. I then made a batch of vegetable dye and dyed a bulk of yarn on my own,” says Jain, insisting that using more handloom fabrics and imbibing vegetable dyes is the way forward to ensure a greener future. “For me, the dye is as important as the weave. I know people worry about colour fastness with handloom, but I am working with a new technique where we use a natural enzyme called lodhra, which is extracted from leaves. It retains the warmth of the vegetable dye and is also environment- friendly. Hopefully, the patent will come through,” says Jain, who currently also teaches at Symbiosis Institute, Pune.

The exhibition is on till September 12 at Haat Studio, Meharchand Market