Here are five ways to incorporate handwoven tanto fabrics into your lifestyle, including cotton, silk, half-silk, and khadi.
Tangail Tan Shari has been getting a lot of attention lately thanks to India's claim to ownership of it, but we often wonder how much more than the Shari, the century-old handloom industry is diverse and extensive. It's easy to forget that.
According to the 2018 Tant Sumari or Tant Survey, 47.474 billion meters of fabric are produced on handlooms every year, which covers 28% of Bangladesh's total garment demand. According to the survey, there are 2,90,282 handlooms in Bangladesh with over 100,000 handlooms.
This includes Jamdani from Dhaka, Monipuri handloom textiles from Sylhet, silk from Rajshahi, handloom textiles from the hill regions, cotton and half silk from Chapainawabganj, Kishoreganj and of course Tangail.
“Modern women now opt for one-piece kurtas and three-piece kurtas made of hand-woven fabrics. Tanto fabrics are available for purchase by the meter in boutiques and stores, and women can buy kurtas, two-piece sets, stoles, We make three-piece salwar kameez. We also have fatua, Punjabi, lungi etc in the men's section,” said Monira Emdad, owner of the famous fashion store Tangail Saree Kutir.
Designers add value to fabrics by dyeing their pieces with vegetable dyes and creating various prints, batik, block prints, embroidery, etc. And not just wearables, tanto fabrics, especially khadar or khadi fabrics, are used to make luxury curtains and beds. The same goes for sheets, upholstery, and other household items.
Tanto fabrics vary depending on the region of production. The muslin of Demra in Dhaka is different from the fabric made in Tangail. The tanto woven in Cumilla is different from the tanto woven in Narsingdi, Sirajganj and Rajshahi.
“Depending on the geographical location, weather and river water levels, the texture of the thread changes. Therefore, the costumes you are going to make from these different fabrics will not be the same,” says fashion designer Biplob Saha . said the owner of Vishwaran.
On February 8, Ubinig Executive Director Farida Akhter shared a post on her social media pages. In her post, she quoted Raghunath Basak, a weaver and tanti from Tangail. Basak said Tanshari weaving requires specific weather and temperature. Weavers have been exploring this country for more than two centuries in search of its perfect climate. From Chapainababganj to Dhamrai in Dhaka, the weavers headed to Tangail and Kishoreganj.
Dhaka is a perfect place to weave muslin, but the temperature is not ideal for weaving cotton fabrics. Tangail, near the Daleshwari river, had the perfect combination of humidity and temperature for cotton textiles. That is why Tangail Shari is so famous.
Muslin is perfect for making delicate shari, but other handloom fabrics are also perfect for making shari, lungi, gamcha or lawn garments.
Here are five ways to incorporate handwoven tanto fabrics, including cotton, silk, half-silk, and khadi, into your lifestyle.
Shari
The traditional 6-yard Tan Shari has a typical 2-4 inch border and a decorative anchal. The weavers use high-quality cotton thread to create various artistic motifs inspired by nature on the body of the Shari. Nowadays, semi-silk cotton thread is also used.
Some of the most popular and well-known motifs used in Tan Shari are Bomla (bumblebee), Tabiji (amulet), Rajmahal (royal palace), Ardha Chandra (half moon), Chanmala (moon garland), Ansh ( fish) etc. scales), Hati (elephant), Nilambari (blue sky), Ratanchok (jewel-like eyes), Venki (spiral), Tara (star), Kalka (paisley), and Phule (flower).
Apart from traditional Tangail cotton, you can also add to our collection a very rich variety of Dhakai Jamdani, Muslin, Rajshahi Silk and Monipuri Cotton Shari. In addition to boutique houses like Deshal, Bibiyana, BishwaRang, and Aarong, many online pages like Khut, Poter Bibi, and Bjens collaborate with weavers to produce authentic Tan Sharis.
Designers think back to traditional motifs when designing. “We use motifs and modernize them by adding our own twists to color, composition, and motifs.'' There was a time when wide borders were popular on challies, but now women wear them in everyday clothes. “They prefer simple and minimalistic designs because of the complexity of their work.''
The quality of the fabric also depends on the thread count, so the complexity also varies.
lungi and gamcha
Be it a soon-to-be groom or our grandfather, plaid lungis and gamchas are typical elements of a Bangalese man's wardrobe. Hindu brides are also given a red and white checkered cotton gamcha, which they use for their 'gay hordo'. If you're a mountain lover, the durable and lightweight cotton gamcha is your favorite companion.
The lungis and gamchas of Kumarkali in Kushtia district are famous for their tradition and careful weaving.
“We have been dependent on handlooms since ancient times. Think lungi and gamcha. These are still made on handlooms, although in lesser quantities. Towels have taken over the local gamcha market and the industry “Handlooms have taken over the local market,” Monira Emdad said.
upholstery
The exclusive curtains, bed sheets, pillowcases and table mats are also made of tanto fabrics, especially heavy cotton and khadi. “Unlike wearable products, the texture of upholstery is a little thicker and rougher because it is used for a long time,” Monira Emdad says.
Tanto's upholstery section features a variety of natural dyes, including indigo, brown, yellow, and deep red. Batik, block prints and tie-dye make this section versatile. Authentic Tanto home decor items can be found in Aaron, Desidosh, Pravarthana, Alanya as well as New His Super His Market and Chandni His Chowk stores.
Only a handful of people who like handlooms and can afford to keep them local still prefer handloom products, Biplob Saha said.
“The reason people are buying more and more manufactured products is because handloom fabrics are expensive and there are specific steps to take care of handloom fabrics. Colors may fade after a certain number of washes. .It cannot be used by ordinary people for rough and everyday use. ”
shawl
Monipuri shawls are one of the most popular accessories during winters. Featuring contrasting borders, solid vibrant colors and bordered temple motifs, this shawl adds the perfect touch of elegance while maintaining the pure simplicity of your outfit.
Weavers from Delduar and Kalihati in Tangail district also make shawls on looms. The weavers of Dupchakia Upazila in Bogra make shawls using wool. These hand-woven shawls are available at boutique shops and fashion houses as well as New His Market and Chandni Chalk wholesale stores.
kurta and punjabi
“Modern women are leaving the house for work more often than ever before. In addition to the simple, minimalist shari, they choose kurtas and three-piece sets that are comfortable for working outside. Heavy, chunky designs “I prefer comfortable colors and fabrics,'' Biplob Saha said.
Deshar, Aaron, Shadakallo, Aranya and Prabarthana carry cotton, silk, half-silk and khadi in the kurta and Punjabi section.