The Art of Block Printing
An ancient craft of wood, colour and the human hand.
Our name means "the craft of the pen" — a tribute to the textile artists of South Asia who, for centuries, have drawn and printed beauty onto cloth by hand.
A Craft Through the Ages
How printed cloth travelled from the Indus to the world.
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Ancient roots
The Indus Valley
Archaeologists have found traces of dyed cotton at Mohenjo-daro, in today's Sindh — evidence that the people of this land were colouring cloth thousands of years ago.
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Medieval era
Cloth for Distant Shores
Block-printed cottons from the subcontinent travelled along trade routes as far as Egypt, where centuries-old fragments have been discovered.
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Mughal era
Royal Patronage
Under the Mughals, textile arts flourished. Gardens, flowers and architecture inspired patterns of remarkable refinement — and printed cloth from the region became prized across the world.
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A living tradition
Ajrak & the Regional Crafts
In Sindh, the deep indigo and crimson Ajrak is still block printed by hand, while across Punjab and beyond artisans keep the rhythm of the block alive.
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Today
Kalamkaari
We carry this heritage forward — pairing time-honoured technique with Samina Butt's contemporary designs and signature gold prints.
How a Print Is Built
Each colour is a separate block, pressed one layer at a time.
The Outline
The first block prints the fine outline of the motif — the drawing that guides every layer after.
The Fill
A second block, carved to match exactly, fills the motif with its first colour.
The Ground
Further blocks add background colour, each aligned by eye so the pattern stays true.
The Gold
Finally, our signature gold is applied by hand — the finishing touch of a Kalamkaari piece.
Hover over each card to preview the next layer.
A Little Glossary
Words you'll meet in the world of block printing.
ChhapaiThe act of printing
From the Urdu and Hindi word for printing — the rhythmic pressing of a carved block onto cloth, one impression at a time.
ThappaThe printing block
A hand-carved wooden block. Each colour in a design needs its own block, carved to align perfectly with the others.
AjrakA heritage of Sindh
A traditional block-printed textile from Sindh, known for its geometric patterns in deep indigo and crimson, and worn as a symbol of cultural pride.
NaqshPattern, design
A word for pattern or engraved design — and the name of our Naqsh collection, celebrating the beauty of the printed motif.
ZarposhAdorned in gold
From zar, meaning gold — the name of our signature collection of gold block-printed pieces.
Wear a piece of the tradition
Discover collections printed by hand, layer by layer, in the spirit of centuries.