Mashru Fabric

Mashru Fabric

1. MASHRU

2. MASHRU …. introduction Mashru is the name assigned to a special kind of a mixed fabric. It is unique in its composition and style. The peculiarity of the fabric called Mashru lies in the fact that it is woven with a combination of cotton and silk. This brings about a totally different texture to the fabric often highly appreciated.

3. It was woven all over India, and now it is woven only in Gujarat. Patan is one of the most important centres for Mashru weaving. It often combines ikat patterns in stripes, along with woven patterns, through the introduction of extra warp threads, or by the depression of the warp threads, and is woven on a pit loom.

4. HISTORY…. The tradition of Mashru in India is old and may be influenced by weaving traditions prevalent in Iraq and the Arab countries. Yemen was the earliest centre of Ikat production in the Middle East. The Yemeni Ikat production rose as the direct result of the Textile trade with India. The satin ikats of Turkey and Syria evolved as a variant of the Indian/Yemeni tradition, replacing the all cotton frabic with a silk warp and a cotton weft.

5. It is believed that these thicker and more luxuriant textiles were brought to India from the Ottoman Empire from the 16 th century onwards and formed the basis of Indian Mashru production.

6. With the spread of Islam in India, the group of mixed fabrics, which are made in India since ancient times came to be referred to as MASHRU. Mashru is an Arabic word meaning “permitted”. According to the Muslim religious law, “ shar’ia ”, men were not permitted to wear pure silk however silk mixed with cotton was permitted. Therefore Mashru was a very popular fabric among Muslims.

7. It was traded in considerable quantity to Persia, Egypt, Turkey and other Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and African countries from the Gujarat Ports. The production of Mashru started declining from the late 19 th century.

8. DIFFERENT CENTRES… Mashru was produced in several centers in India:- lucknow , Daryabad and Fayzabad in Uttar Pradesh. Samna in Patiyala , Tatta in Sindh , Coromandel Coast, Tanjore , Trichinopoly ,

9. Madurai in Tamil Nadu, Aurangabad, Varanasi in North India, West Bengal At present the production of Mashru is limited to Patan , Mandvi , and Surat in Gujarat.

10. VARIETIES…. Mashru has different names based on their pattern, color, weave or place of manufacture. Well known varieties are alacha , qatni , gulbadan , susi , galta and sangi . Gujarat was famous for its alacha and qatni variety.

11. RAW MATERIAL

12. PROCESS…. It’s the play with warp and weft that gives Mashru it’s distinctive appearance. It is woven on a pit loom. It has a silk warp and cotton weft, This skip and pick weaving technique gives the fabric a delicate smoothness and alluring sheen .

13. Mashru fabric is made using satin weave by interlacing silk and cotton yarns. Cotton makes the weft, or the horizontal yarns while silk is used for the warp, or the vertical yarns . In this weave, each silk yarn goes under one cotton yarn and above five or eight or more cotton yarns, giving an appearance of a shiny surface that looks like it is made up of only silk, while the underside of the fabric is cotton . Since the structure of the fabric allows for more yarns in a given area, it also makes the fabric stronger . Traditionally the weavers use seven/eight taana (warp) and one cotton baana (weft).

14. COLOURS… The dominant colors used in the production are glowing shades of red, yellow, green and blue.

15. Mashru is distinct from other fabrics because it has two faces, cotton on the reverse side of the fabric, and silk on the outer.

16. The double sided fabric enabled men to wear clothing that had on the exterior the rich, decorative qualities of woven silk. When worn, the cotton weft is inside and the silk faces outwards, Thus when used in garments the cotton layer comes in contact with the body forms an absorbent protective layer to the rich and decorative exterior.

17. Weaving is characterized by its bold colourful patterns and stripes of various colours and sizes, including small floral or geometric patterns in alternate stripes.

18. In the contemporary scenario, the fabric is now used for decorative cushions and table accessories , Bags apart from garments.

19. PATTERNS…. The mush-seen patterns usually include stripes offset by pin-head dots. The cloth was distinguished by its butis woven in circular shapes that gave an impression of ashrafis (gold coins). The ashrafis were usually woven in gold zari . “In India, weavers continuously experimented and adopted techniques of other regions. A popular synthesis was using tie-dye yarn, much the way it’s done in ikkat weaving. The appeal of mashru lies in it being a singular blend of silk-cotton with a luxurious look.

20. This is a mixed fabric with a woven stripe or zigzag pattern. The warp and weft used were of two different materials (silk and cotton, cotton and linen, silk and wool or wool and cotton) in different colors . It was used mostly for lower garments such as trousers, the lining of the heavy brocade garments or as furnishing.

21. While the small dotted pattern is preferred in Anjar , Kutch, the striped ones are liked all over the country. Ikat pattern techniques are often used during the creation of Mashru fabric. This allows for a wide variety of patterns and shapes to be used thereby increasing the aesthetics of the fabric. Solid stripes and strong hues are used to great effect.

22. MASHRU WEAVER

23. IKKAT… Ikat , or Ikkat , is the method of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft fibres. The dye is applied prior to the threads being woven to create the final fabric pattern or design.

24. Ikat created by dyeing the warp are the more simple to make. Weft ikat uses resist-dye for the weft alone. The variance in colour of the weft means precisely delineated patterns are more difficult to weave. Some patterns become transformed by the weaving process into irregular and erratic designs Double Ikat is where both warp and weft are resist-dyed.

25. OTHER USES….. Apart from garment it is used for peticoats , skirts vests and bags and mobile covers.. In earlier times they were also in general use as lining material, for coats and jackets, for pillow covers, umbrellas, borders of embroideries etc.

26. TRADITIONAL VALUE…. Mashru as a fabric was created to confirm to the tenets of Islam which forbade the use of silk generated out of insect cocoons as wearable material. So an elegant mix in the annals of historical weaving was contrived were it was the thread of cotton which touched the skin while the silk floated on top. This enabled the ruling Islamic nobility to flaunt and wear this wondrous garment. Mashru due to this very feature became a favored item of export to the gulf and the Ottomen Empire.

27. In Patan wealthy Hindu merchants and traders also took a liking to this fabric thus increasing its intrinsic value and the inclusion of certain typical motifs. The colloquil Gujarati term for this fabric was mishru meaning a blend of silk and cotton. Even today Mashru is an important part of the bridal trousseou of a variety of Hindu communities. The Bohras of Sidhpur and Patan also favor Mashru as a fabric to design their traditional garments.

28. UTILITY…. Mashru is not just a luxurious fabric; it also has a very practical utility. While the silk on the outer surface has a beautiful, glossy appearance, the cotton yarns in the back soak up sweat and keep the wearer cool in the hot climate of the deserts

29. MASHRU MAKEOVER…. With time, the designs of Mashru have become simpler. Multi hued ikats and patterned stripes are uncommon now, and replacing them are brighter, bold stripes or small dots, along with solid coloured fabrics, white and black colours are also used now.

30. In a small locality in Patan , Gujarat, a few craftsmen weave Mashru yardages, replacing vegetable dyed silk with chemical dyed rayon , not because they don’t want to use silk, but because rayon, being cheaper, has a better demand. Rayon is smoother and shinier than silk, although the synthetic dyes make it weak, unlike natural ones that grow richer with age.

31. Efforts are on to revive this ancient craft through contemporisation of design development and skill upgradation of artisans involved in the trade. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Gandhinagar under a GSHHDC (Gujarat State Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd.) project initiated one such process with local artisans in Patan . Efforts are also on to get this craft a GI (geographical indication) tag.   

32. This precious fabric finds customers all across the country and is also exported; and like Mashru’s colours cheer up a tired soul, the popularity of this multi hued textile among colour loving youth keeps the hope of revival of this beautiful craft.

33. Mashru fabrics are effectively teamed with embroidered cotton textiles to create the festive apparel of the Rabaris of Kachchh.Seen on the left is a bridal ghagharo,or skirt

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