The Artisan's Touch: Our Process
Witness the journey of a textile, from the raw carving of seasoned teak blocks to the rhythm of natural dyeing. This is how we bring heritage to life, one meticulous layer at a time.
Watch the magic of a four-color floral design coming to life. This video shows the entire process, from the initial sketch and the meticulous carving of four separate blocks to the final layered print, where each color adds a new dimension to the sprawling pattern.
The steady hand of a master artisan at work. Here, one of our printers carefully aligns a teak block to create a seamless pattern on a long stretch of fabric, a skill honed over decades of practice.
The steady hand of a master artisan at work. Here, one of our printers carefully aligns a teak block to create a seamless pattern on a long stretch of fabric, a skill honed over decades of practice.
The steady hand of a master artisan at work. Here, one of our printers carefully aligns a teak block to create a seamless pattern on a long stretch of fabric, a skill honed over decades of practice.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with the very first step: carving the block. This video shows how our master carvers utilize every inch of the teak wood, skillfully fitting multiple designs onto a single piece to minimize waste.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with the very first step: carving the block. This video shows how our master carvers utilize every inch of the teak wood, skillfully fitting multiple designs onto a single piece to minimize waste.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with the very first step: carving the block. This video shows how our master carvers utilize every inch of the teak wood, skillfully fitting multiple designs onto a single piece to minimize waste.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with the very first step: carving the block. This video shows how our master carvers utilize every inch of the teak wood, skillfully fitting multiple designs onto a single piece to minimize waste.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with the very first step: carving the block. This video shows how our master carvers utilize every inch of the teak wood, skillfully fitting multiple designs onto a single piece to minimize waste.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with the very first step: carving the block. This video shows how our master carvers utilize every inch of the teak wood, skillfully fitting multiple designs onto a single piece to minimize waste.
About The Artisan's Touch: Our Process
Each pattern you see is built by layering multiple blocks, one colour at a time. What looks like a single print often requires distinct blocks and precise alignment, meaning a single saree can take over 50 hours of manual work. If you are curious about a specific design, ask us which blocks we used to create that exact depth.
We keep our process slow by choice. Our studio is built on the belief that real quality comes from time and human attention, not shortcuts. We work with natural dyes—using fresh indigo, madder, and pomegranate—that we grind by hand in our studio space. This creates subtle variations in colour that machines simply cannot replicate.
Our teak block archive, which dates back to the 1960s, is at the heart of everything we do. We do not just use these blocks; we protect them. Each block is seasoned and carved to ensure every print captures the original intent of the design. When a master carver works on a new block, they use every inch of the wood, fitting multiple motifs into a single piece to prevent waste. This approach ensures that our practice remains sustainable, just as it has been since we started in 1977.
We also use discharge printing, a technique that embeds the colour into the fabric fiber rather than sitting on top of it. This ensures the design lasts as long as the fabric does. Whether we are printing on pure silk or organic cotton, the focus remains on the alignment of the blocks and the steady hand of the person at the printing table. When you see our work, you are seeing the result of decades of practice passed down from one generation to the next.
Tharangini Studio
We are Tharangini, carrying forward a legacy in Sadashivnagar since 1977. My mother Lakshmi built this studio, and today, it is home to a team that pours heart into every print.
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