How We Bring the Colour

We don’t just "order a print." We choose a method that suits the fabric and the feel we’re going for. From the strike of a wooden block to the deep soak of a dye vat, here is how we bring the colour to Doon Threads.

Bold Patterns, Bold Colours

Hand-Block Printing: This is our pride and joy. A master carver creates a design in a series of blocks made of sheehsam or teak wood, which is then dipped in dye and stamped onto the fabric by hand, inch by inch. You’ll see tiny variations in the alignment – a "human signature." It’s a rhythmic, soulful process that no machine can replicate. Printers require wrists of steel, patience, and a lot of chai.

When you look at a Doon Threads pattern, you’re usually looking at a "trinity" of blocks. Each has a specific job:

  • 1. Gud (The Background)

    This is used to print the background colour around the design. It’s often the "negative
    space" of the pattern and often comes first.

  • 2. Rekh (The Outline)

    It’s usually the most intricate and is carved with fine lines to define the shape of the design.

  • 3. Datta (The Fillers)

    Once the Rekh has defined the borders, the Datta is used to "fill in" the colours within the lines. There can be 1 or more datta blocks used in a design.

  • 4. Naksh (The Guidelines)

    When the printer strikes the first block, the Naksh leaves a tiny dot of ink on the fabric. When the printer picks up the next block, they align the corresponding pins on that block with the dots left by the previous one. Genius.

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  • Screen Printing

    When we want a pattern that’s a bit more intricate or bold, we use traditional screen printing. It’s still a manual process involving teamwork between two sets of steady hands, but it allows us to play with different scales and layers of colour that make our contemporary designs pop. As the screen are much larger than the blocks, it’s also a quicker process, so slightly more cost effective.

  • A Touch of Digital

    Occasionally, for our most complex or modern designs, we might use digital printing. It’s the "Bangalore" side of our business—precise and efficient -allowing us to experiment with vibrant details while keeping our water waste to a minimum. Often if we want to trial various patterns in various colours, we utilise this technique to keep costs to a minimum.

Yarn-Dyed Depth : Sometimes, the colour isn't just on the surface; it's part
of the fabric. The colour on your shoulders is a direct link to a master weaver in India. Now, that’s an idea we can get behind!

 Yarn-Dyed Ikat: We don't print on the fabric; we dye the individual threads before they are woven. By tying and dyeing sections of the yarn, the pattern emerges as the weaver works the loom. It creates those iconic, slightly blurred "hazy" edges that tell you it’s a genuine Indian Ikat.
You’ve got to see it to believe it. The expertise required is off-the-charts!

Yarn-Dyed Khadi, Kala & Brown Cotton: For our solid-coloured or striped shirts, we dye the hand-spun yarn in big vats before it’s spun on the loom.

This results in a much richer, deeper "lived-in" colour that won't just sit on the surface and potentially fade with exposure to the sun but will age beautifully with the garment. The Grand Cru of colour…

Naturally Grown (The Brown Cotton): And then there’s Brown Cotton. No dye, no vats, no chemicals. The colour comes straight out of the ground. It’s a soft, earthy tan that is exactly as nature intended it. We like mixing these browns with dyed yarns to create a colourful edge to the earthy look.