About Us
Our Story
Ikkat For You is your ultimate destination for authentic,
handcrafted Ikkat clothing and accessories. We celebrate India’s
rich textile heritage by bringing traditional artistry into
contemporary fashion, ensuring every piece tells a story of
craftsmanship and culture.
From vibrant sarees and elegant dupattas to stylish apparel, our
collections are designed to combine tradition with modern
aesthetics, making them perfect for every occasion.
At Ikkat For You, quality, authenticity, and customer satisfaction
are our top priorities. Each product is carefully curated and crafted
with love, so you can embrace the beauty of handwoven textiles
with confidence.
Pochampally Ikkat from Telangana
The ikat weaving process is an intricate and precise resist-dyeing technique where
patterns are applied to the threads before they are woven into cloth
. This differs from other resist methods, like tie-dye or batik, where the dye is applied to
the finished fabric. The defining "blurriness" of ikat patterns is caused by the difficulty in
perfectly aligning the dyed threads during weaving.
The level of intricacy varies depending on whether warp ikat, weft ikat, or double ikat is
being made. The following steps outline the general process.
Step 1: Design the pattern
The artisan first creates a blueprint for the pattern, often drawn on graph paper. The design is then meticulously transferred to the unwoven threads, marking exactly where the resist bindings will be placed.
Step 2: Prepare the yarns
Yarn, typically made of cotton, silk, or wool, is washed to remove any impurities and stretched out. In warp ikat, the lengthwise (warp) threads are prepared, while in weft ikat, the crosswise (weft) threads are used. In double ikat, both sets of threads are prepared.
Step 3: Apply the resist bindings
Artisans tightly bind sections of the yarn with a water-resistant material, such as rubber strips or plastic, based on the design. These bindings prevent the dye from penetrating the covered sections.
Step 4: Dye the yarns
The bound bundles of yarn are immersed in a dye bath. The dye colors the exposed portions of the threads while the tied sections resist the color. This process can be repeated multiple times with different bindings and colors to create complex, multi-colored patterns.
Step 5: Untie and dry the yarns
After dyeing, the bindings are carefully removed to reveal the pattern on the threads. The threads are then washed and hung to dry, often in the sun.
Step 6: Weave the fabric
The dyed threads are placed on a loom.
● Warp ikat: The dyed warp threads are meticulously aligned, and a plain, solid-colored weft thread is woven through them. The pattern becomes visible as the weaving progresses.
● Weft ikat: A solid-colored warp is set up, and the dyed weft threads are woven through. This requires constant manual adjustment by the weaver after each pass of the shuttle to ensure the pattern aligns correctly.
● Double ikat: Both the warp and weft threads are precisely aligned and woven together to reveal the complete, highly complex pattern.
Step 7: Finish the fabric
Once the fabric is woven, it is typically washed and ironed to finish the product. The characteristic blurred edges of the ikat pattern are now fully visible in the final textile.
Read More
Step 1: Design the pattern
The artisan first creates a blueprint for the pattern, often drawn on graph paper. The design is then meticulously transferred to the unwoven threads, marking exactly where the resist bindings will be placed.
Step 2: Prepare the yarns
Yarn, typically made of cotton, silk, or wool, is washed to remove any impurities and stretched out. In warp ikat, the lengthwise (warp) threads are prepared, while in weft ikat, the crosswise (weft) threads are used. In double ikat, both sets of threads are prepared.
Step 3: Apply the resist bindings
Artisans tightly bind sections of the yarn with a water-resistant material, such as rubber strips or plastic, based on the design. These bindings prevent the dye from penetrating the covered sections.
Step 4: Dye the yarns
The bound bundles of yarn are immersed in a dye bath. The dye colors the exposed portions of the threads while the tied sections resist the color. This process can be repeated multiple times with different bindings and colors to create complex, multi-colored patterns.
Step 5: Untie and dry the yarns
After dyeing, the bindings are carefully removed to reveal the pattern on the threads. The threads are then washed and hung to dry, often in the sun.
Step 6: Weave the fabric
The dyed threads are placed on a loom.
● Warp ikat: The dyed warp threads are meticulously aligned, and a plain, solid-colored weft thread is woven through them. The pattern becomes visible as the weaving progresses.
● Weft ikat: A solid-colored warp is set up, and the dyed weft threads are woven through. This requires constant manual adjustment by the weaver after each pass of the shuttle to ensure the pattern aligns correctly.
● Double ikat: Both the warp and weft threads are precisely aligned and woven together to reveal the complete, highly complex pattern.
Step 7: Finish the fabric
Once the fabric is woven, it is typically washed and ironed to finish the product. The characteristic blurred edges of the ikat pattern are now fully visible in the final textile.
Kalamkari Block Print from Andhra pradesh
Kalamkari Printing Process (Machilipatnam Style, Andhra Pradesh)
Kalamkari literally means “pen work on fabric” (from Kalam = pen and Kari = craftsmanship).
But in Machilipatnam Kalamkari, designs are printed using hand-carved wooden blocks and natural
dyes — a slow, eco-friendly art form.
Step 1: Fabric Preparation (Bleaching and Washing)
● Base material: 100% cotton cloth (sometimes silk).
● The fabric is first washed thoroughly in water and cow dung to remove oils, starch, and dirt.
● This helps the natural dyes adhere better.
● After washing, it is sun-dried completely.
Purpose: Removes impurities and prepares the fabric to absorb natural dyes.
Step 2: Myrobalan Treatment (Mordanting)
● The fabric is soaked in a solution of myrobalan (harda) — a natural tannin.
● This step helps the cloth absorb mordants (metallic salts that fix dyes).
● Myrobalan also gives a yellowish tint to the base fabric.
Purpose: Helps fix natural dyes and improves color fastness.
Step 3: Block Printing (Outline Printing)
● Traditional wooden blocks are hand-carved with floral and geometric designs.
● The outline (usually black or red) is printed first using a mordant paste — typically a mixture of alum, iron, and jaggery.
● For black outlines, a ferrous solution (iron filings + jaggery + water) is used.
Purpose: Creates the basic design and defines areas for later dyeing.
Step 4: Drying the Printed Fabric
● After printing, the fabric is sun-dried to fix the mordant onto the cloth.
● It is left for several hours or even days depending on the weather.
Purpose: Allows the mordant to bond with fibers before dyeing.
Step 5: Boiling and Washing
● The fabric is boiled in water to remove excess mordant and unwanted iron particles.
● It is then washed thoroughly and sun-dried again.
Purpose: Ensures that only the fixed design areas retain the mordant.
Step 6: Applying Natural Dyes (Coloring)
● The dyed parts are achieved using vegetable and mineral colors:
○ Red: From alum and madder root or alizarin.
○ Black: From iron filings and jaggery solution.
○ Blue: From indigo vat.
○ Yellow: From pomegranate rinds or turmeric.
● Colors are applied either by dipping, painting, or block printing.
Purpose: Adds natural colors in different stages — red first, then blue, then yellow, etc.
Step 7: Repeated Washing and Sun Drying
● After each color application, the fabric is washed in flowing water (traditionally in rivers) and sun-dried.
● This helps remove extra dye and brightens the colors.
Purpose: Gives final shine and ensures color stability.
Step 8: Finishing
● The dried fabric is ironed or calendered (pressed with rollers) to make it smooth and lustrous.
● Finally, it’s ready for making sarees, dupattas, wall hangings, or other textile crafts.
Purpose: Final polishing for texture and visual appeal. Read More
Step 1: Fabric Preparation (Bleaching and Washing)
● Base material: 100% cotton cloth (sometimes silk).
● The fabric is first washed thoroughly in water and cow dung to remove oils, starch, and dirt.
● This helps the natural dyes adhere better.
● After washing, it is sun-dried completely.
Purpose: Removes impurities and prepares the fabric to absorb natural dyes.
Step 2: Myrobalan Treatment (Mordanting)
● The fabric is soaked in a solution of myrobalan (harda) — a natural tannin.
● This step helps the cloth absorb mordants (metallic salts that fix dyes).
● Myrobalan also gives a yellowish tint to the base fabric.
Purpose: Helps fix natural dyes and improves color fastness.
Step 3: Block Printing (Outline Printing)
● Traditional wooden blocks are hand-carved with floral and geometric designs.
● The outline (usually black or red) is printed first using a mordant paste — typically a mixture of alum, iron, and jaggery.
● For black outlines, a ferrous solution (iron filings + jaggery + water) is used.
Purpose: Creates the basic design and defines areas for later dyeing.
Step 4: Drying the Printed Fabric
● After printing, the fabric is sun-dried to fix the mordant onto the cloth.
● It is left for several hours or even days depending on the weather.
Purpose: Allows the mordant to bond with fibers before dyeing.
Step 5: Boiling and Washing
● The fabric is boiled in water to remove excess mordant and unwanted iron particles.
● It is then washed thoroughly and sun-dried again.
Purpose: Ensures that only the fixed design areas retain the mordant.
Step 6: Applying Natural Dyes (Coloring)
● The dyed parts are achieved using vegetable and mineral colors:
○ Red: From alum and madder root or alizarin.
○ Black: From iron filings and jaggery solution.
○ Blue: From indigo vat.
○ Yellow: From pomegranate rinds or turmeric.
● Colors are applied either by dipping, painting, or block printing.
Purpose: Adds natural colors in different stages — red first, then blue, then yellow, etc.
Step 7: Repeated Washing and Sun Drying
● After each color application, the fabric is washed in flowing water (traditionally in rivers) and sun-dried.
● This helps remove extra dye and brightens the colors.
Purpose: Gives final shine and ensures color stability.
Step 8: Finishing
● The dried fabric is ironed or calendered (pressed with rollers) to make it smooth and lustrous.
● Finally, it’s ready for making sarees, dupattas, wall hangings, or other textile crafts.
Purpose: Final polishing for texture and visual appeal. Read More
Pochampally Ikat: Handwoven with traditional dyeing for intricate blurred patterns.