The Art of Kantha but what is it really?
Kantha is everywhere and I couldn’t be happier to see a rural craft from my homeland gain such an international following. Born in the villages of India and Bangladesh, this centuries-old craft has been passed down generations. I think the fondness for Kantha comes from the vast possibilities it offers for products and design. It is more than just a fabric—it’s history stitched together by hand. Each piece carries the imprint of the women who made it, their stories woven into every thread. Kantha embodies upcycling at its best. Old fabrics are patched, layered, and bound with fine running stitches to create something new.
Derived from the Sanskrit word Kontha, meaning rags, Kantha has evolved into a refined textile. The quality varies, with finer stitches indicating superior craftsmanship. Designs and motifs also differ by region, making each Kantha textile unique. Traditionally, these pieces held personal stories, woven into fabric by the women who made them.
How to select your next Kantha quilted piece?
Quality of Embroidery - Inspect the fineness of the hand embroidery. The finer and smaller the stitch, the better its quality!
Quality of the Quilts - Mid to heavy weight kantha quilts have more layers of fabric in them that are quilted together, making them stronger. Overtime, as the top layers fray the colours and textures of the underlying fabric starts to show, making it age as a piece of art.
Vintage is better - Reduce waste and opt in for existing quilts on their second of third lifecycle.
Who made it? - Look at the details of the kantha product you are purchasing. You should be concerned about the uniqueness and quality of tailoring. Ask the right questions. Most Kantha products in the market today are mass produced so the question around fair wages and working conditions should be considered before purchasing.
At Loom & Things, each kantha quilt is carefully hand selected by our team for quality and precision. The quilts are then transported to our in-house small scale production unit in New Delhi where they are converted into beautiful jackets and accessories. Each quilt is pre-washed and fixed as needed by our quality control team. Following this, they are tailored into the final products by our tailors Rajesh and Bablu. We have recently started making accessories and kids jackets with the smaller pieces to reduce waste.
DISCOVER OUR KANTHA COLLECTION
I hope you enjoy exploring our Upcycled Heirloom Kantha collection online and in-store and I have helped you understand a little more about this age old craft.