Kachchh Embroidery - Tote Bag - Dhebaria Rabari - Creature Current

A colourful tote bag that uses naturally dyed fabric in the Dhebaria Rabari embroidery process. You'll see a combination of hand stitching and appliqué with block printed Ajrakh patterns from a neighbouring community, all in one beautiful piece. Stitched onto a handwoven cotton base.  

The embroidery of the Dhebaria Rabari (a tribal group living in the Kachchh Desert, India) is a distinct combination of stitch and appliqué. The aesthetic is immediately recognizable and unlike the work of any other group.

These embroideries bring the richness of desert cultures into your hands — heirlooms for the future. Each embroidery is a unique expression of the woman who made it. No two are the same.

Size approx. 16" x 15" (41cm x 38cm), handle drop 11" (29cm).

Features: Single-sided embroidery with running stitch design on the back. Black cotton lining, inner zip pocket and sleeve, and two handles which can be worn over the shoulder or carried in hand.

Each embroidery piece is one of a kind.

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The language of stitches builds within a community over hundreds of years. It is a source of identity that is transferred from one generation to the next. It is learned in the same way a spoken language is learned; with children sitting beside the adults. In an oral culture the stitched language records everything of importance from the epic to the personal.

Maiwa works with embroiderers through many co-operative structures within India. The women embroider, design, market and innovate as entrepreneur artisans. The goal is financial self-determination and empowerment through education and a clear sense of the value of their work.

Meet the Artisans.