> Title: Hand Block Printing in India: Clothing & Fabric | Surajmal > Source: https://surajmal.com/techniques/block-printing > Publisher: Surajmal Shobhachand [Techniques](/techniques) # Hand block printing for clothing brands, _from India._ Hand block-printed clothing and fabric, with direct print and dabu compared, plus motif, repeat and testing details for the tech pack. [Enquire→](/contact) [Send a tech pack](/contact) Surajmal Shobhachand supplies hand block-printed kurta tops, dresses, shirts and co-ords from India, as well as printed fabric for garment makers. Hand block printing presses wooden blocks onto cloth by hand. The design is carved into the underside of the block. Hand block printing - **Method**: Direct print or dabu mud resist - **Supply**: Garments or fabric by the metre - **Motif and repeat**: Dimensions in centimetres - **Colours**: A reference for each colour - **Placement**: All-over, border or motif - **Print reference**: Artwork and a close-up [Enquire about hand block printing→](/contact) ## Block-printed garments we supply [Cream cotton kurta top block-printed with an indigo floral Kurta top, indigo floral block print See tops & blouses →](/products/tops-blouses) [Red and indigo floral maxi dress with printed borders at the sleeves and hem Maxi dress, bordered block print See dresses →](/products/dresses) [Indigo short-sleeve cotton shirt with a small pale botanical repeat Cotton shirt, small block-print repeat See woven shirts →](/products/shirts) [Green and rose floral block-printed cotton shirt and trouser set Co-ord set, floral block print See co-ords →](/products/co-ords) Have a style in mind? Send a reference garment and the quantity, and we quote it with hand block printing. [Request a similar style→](/contact) ## Direct print or dabu? ### Direct print The printing block applies colour directly to the cloth to form the motif. Floral cotton swatches: red and black flowers on cream at left, pale flowers on indigo at right ### Dabu mud resist Dabu paste covers the areas to leave undyed. The pattern is revealed when the cloth is washed after dyeing. ## Compare direct print and dabu for your design We supply dabu to your brief. Send one design with a fabric reference, weight and metres for a fabric quote in both methods. [Quote both methods→](/contact) ## Set the print reference In Sanganer printing, the colour fills are placed in the gaps of the motif. Send a close-up of the print to reproduce, with a separate drawing for the border position. Cream cotton with rows of blue and rust floral motifs and a printed border beside a sewn hem ## Get a block-printed garment quote Send a reference garment or tech pack and quantity, with motif artwork, repeat dimensions, colour references and placement marked on the garment drawing. We quote it with hand block printing. [Get a garment quote→](/contact) ## A direct hand block-printing process 1. 1 ### Outline The outline block, called rekh, takes colour from a saturated pad. It is then pressed onto fabric stretched on a table. 2. 2 ### Colours The Sanganer method uses a separate block for each print colour. 3. 3 ### Dry In this direct-print method, the printed cloth is left to dry in the sun. ## Specifying hand block printing - **Supply required**: Specify garments or printed fabric. - **Artwork or reference link**: Send the motif artwork or a print reference. - **Garment and sizes or fabric metres**: Name the garment and size range, or give the required metres and fabric width. - **Base cloth and GSM**: State the fibre, construction and weight. Browse the [fabric catalogue](/products/fabrics) for a base-cloth reference. - **Print method**: Choose direct print or dabu. - **Motif dimensions**: Give the height and width in centimetres. - **Repeat dimensions**: Specify the horizontal and vertical repeat, with spacing marked on the artwork. - **Colour references**: Provide a reference for each print colour and the ground. - **Garment-panel placement**: Mark each motif or border position on the garment drawing. - **Print close-up**: Attach a close-up for the print character to reproduce. Mark colour alignment separately. - **Quantities per colourway**: Give garment quantities by size, or metres for each colourway. - **Care and testing requirements**: State the intended care instructions and required test methods with acceptance grades. Not sure of every line? Tell us what you are planning, and we will advise on what works best. [Send this as a brief→](/contact) ## Colourfastness tests for block prints Test Method What it shows Washing[\[1\]](https://committee.iso.org/standard/51276.html "Source 1: committee.iso.org: /standard/51276.html") ISO 105-C06 Colour loss and staining, with one single (S) test closely approximating one domestic or commercial laundering. Accelerated washing[\[2\]](https://members.aatcc.org/store/tm61/495/ "Source 2: members.aatcc.org: /store/tm61/495/") AATCC TM61 Colourfastness under accelerated laundering for textiles intended for frequent washing. Dry and wet rubbing[\[3\]](https://www.iso.org/standard/65207.html "Source 3: iso.org: /standard/65207.html") ISO 105-X12 Colourfastness to rubbing with a dry cloth and a wet cloth. Crocking[\[4\]](https://members.aatcc.org/store/tm8/481/ "Source 4: members.aatcc.org: /store/tm8/481/") AATCC TM8 The amount of colour transferred from a textile surface to another surface by rubbing. ## Common questions about hand block printing ### Do you make hand block-printed clothing for brands? Yes. We make garments to your print design under your label through our [private-label service](/services/private-label). ### Do you supply hand block-printed fabric by the metre? Yes. We supply hand block-printed fabric on its own, by the metre. ### What do the names Sanganeri, Bagru and Ajrakh mean? They are registered Geographical Indications. Sanganeri Hand Block Printing and Bagru Hand Block Print have Rajasthan as their registered area; Kutch Ajrakh Print of Gujarat has Gujarat.[\[5\]](https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/147 "Source 5: search.ipindia.gov.in: /GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/147") [\[6\]](https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/183 "Source 6: search.ipindia.gov.in: /GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/183") [\[7\]](https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/1050 "Source 7: search.ipindia.gov.in: /GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/1050") ### How does block printing differ from screen printing? [Screen printing](/techniques/screen-printing) passes ink through the open areas of a stencil screen. A question this does not answer? [Ask us directly](/contact) and we reply within 24 hours. ## Related [Tops & blouses](/products/tops-blouses) [Dresses](/products/dresses) [Woven shirts](/products/shirts) [Co-ords](/products/co-ords) [Screen printing](/techniques/screen-printing) [Digital printing](/techniques/digital-printing) [Batik](/techniques/batik) [Cotton](/materials/cotton) [Poplin](/materials/poplin) [Fabrics](/products/fabrics) [Private label](/services/private-label) ## Developing a block-printed collection? Send the collection brief with a reference or tech pack for each style and quantities per colourway for a collection quote. [Discuss your requirement→](/contact)