Embrace ethnic prints with style

Sabera Sultana, a Dhaka-based IT professional, is a big fan of printed kurtis and wears them every other day at work. She believes print in cotton is one of the greatest combos, be it for loungewear or workwear.

"I don't like too much embellishment in my outfits as it makes me uncomfortable. But zero embellishment also makes it bland and not suitable for work. I found the balance in printed dresses, as prints add dynamic to the outfits without making them heavy," she opined. 

Starting in 2015, Wearhouse, a local fashion house, began specialising in innovative block prints, showcasing different cultural elements of the country - be it ancient establishments like Ahsan Manzil or mangrove trees of the Sundarbans. 

Popular belief is that the history of block printing can be traced back to China, where it was developed during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD). In the Indian subcontinent, hand-block printing has been documented since the 12th century and has served as a vital component of hand-made textiles in the subcontinent. 

During the Mughal era, block printing gained significant traction in India, propelled by the patronage and encouragement of the ruling elite. Over time, the craft evolved, becoming more intricate and accessible to diverse communities, resulting in the creation of innovative patterns and designs. 

Apart from block printing, Wearhouse also specialises in screen printing, digital prints, and other techniques, with a particular affinity for working on cotton in darker hues.

"For block prints, cotton is the best medium there is. Linen is also good, but the material soaks a lot of colour and the finishing doesn't come out as good," said Tasnim Ferdous, the founder of Wearhouse.

While cotton is Wearhouse's first choice, another fusion-oriented local brand, Stried, loves to play around with synthetic fabrics. Tasmit Afiyat Arny, the brand's founder, has amassed valuable expertise in the art of printing throughout her career.

"Being a graphic designer, I know the fabric as well as any printing process for CMYK colour code. So it's easier for me to design any print and send the exact file to the printing machine according to my fabric measurements," she said.

For sublimation printing, Arny prefers vibrant colours. Arny also does other forms of printing, including stamp printing, transfer printing, screen printing, dye sublimation, pigment printing, reactive printing and many more.

The fabric she uses depends largely on the client's demands. 

"For gowns and party dresses, I mostly use georgette, weightless georgette, silk and satin. For other products, mixed cotton, Tussar silk and other blended fabrics."

Arny emphasises the significance of understanding the printing process and the fabric blend ratio, as these elements significantly impact heat consumption. The demand for screen prints is particularly high in the fast fashion industry, while handprint or block prints, although slower, require specialised care for the fabric.

"Creating a basic kurta design with wooden blocks takes approximately 45 minutes for a two-colour pattern. The time and cost increase as more colours are added," said Tasnim, adding,

"Block-printed items are as sustainable as screen prints. I still wear the kurtis I designed in 2015, and the print quality hasn't deteriorated. However, following washing and care instructions on labels is essential to maintain these items," said Tasnim.

Amira, another local brand, aims to become a renowned fast-fashion label in the vein of Zara and H&M, focusing on ethnic wear. Their unique selling point is their innovative prints, and Amira introduces thematic collections with captivating prints, including Indonesian motifs, tie-dye, florals, and more. 

Amira imports various grey fabrics (fabrics without any dye or further modification) and prints them with in-house curated motifs. The brand launches more than 100 designs in each of their collections.

Other than digital and screen print, rotary print and sublimation print are also trending at Amira.

To Zainab Maqsood, the founder of Amira, prints are a fantastic way of cultural expression. She takes the assignment of taking prints one step further very seriously. At Amira, there are three separate teams - textile designing, graphic designing and merchandising to execute these prints successfully.