Kasuri Kouji Shirt-Jacket

Inspired by the silhouette of a simple factory workman's shirt, this fully lined top alternates as a light jacket. The slightly narrow sleeves give shape to the oversized, box-shaped body. Dropped shoulders, cuff and center front close with hand beaten brass buttons. Comfy pockets in the side seam.

• 100% Hand spun and woven mid-weight cotton with a beautiful, slubbed texture. Dyed in natural, organic indigo vats and covered in all-over hand embroidered kantha stitch in a traditional, geometric pattern.
  
• Hand wash gentle separately in mild detergent and cold water. Do not soak. Hang dry. *Natural colors change over time
• Origin: West Bengal, India

Textile Story

This hand spun & woven cotton is entirely hand made. Once the cotton bolls have been gathered, they are carded to clean them of any debris. This is done using a manual or semi-mechanized machine that combs the fibre. It's a time-consuming task as the fibers are carded many times to ensure all the waste left from the cotton seeds is taken out.

The cleaned fibre is then spun into yarn on a charkha (spinning wheel) or spindle. The spinning thins out the fibres into a more standard thickness and gives length to the yarn while twisting it to give it strength. This yarn then dyed in natural and organic indigo vats. Then measured and prepared for the loom, itself a lengthy process, where it is hand woven to create the cloth.

Not only is cloth made this way environmentally friendly, it also maintains the intrinsic properties of cotton which are usually damaged during machine-processing. Its weave creates air pockets which make it cool in summer and warm in winter and its inherent strength makes it highly durable. The semi-slubbed texture adds authenticity, a richness and variety to the cloth that is not found in machine-processed fabric. 

Finally, the cloth is embroidered in fine kantha stitch in a traditional, geometric pattern. This kantha creates a rich, rippling effect across the fabric and adds a unique texture to the products. Any variations or irregularities are part of the design and inherent to the production process.