Mehr  مہرؔ

MR23021
Asymmetrical patchwork of cotton handwoven in Arunachal Pradesh
Spoken for
Mehr of being able to visualise an intangible and turn it into tangible. Each strip of patchwork visualised in the mind is translated into a textile. The asymmetry of it is an act of understanding the inherent symmetry and yet not confining to it.

In 2013, we brought about 500 kgs of cotton yarn to Arunachal Pradesh and took it as a drive to sensitise weavers towards using cotton over synthetic yarns for their indigenous weaves. Amla has championed the work we carried out with Tai Khampti weavers for more years than I could ever imagine. She began engaging untrained weavers, single mothers, and older women to engage in weaving plain, checks and striped fabrics. Such textiles are easily available at a very low cost in mainland India. Thereby, economically it was not a great decision. But at a deeper level, it brought wealth to a lot of homes in her neighbourhood. Rather than buying plain handloom fabrics from mainland, we began creating livelihood opportunities by weaving less intricate weaves as a medium of training new weavers and convenient income for trained ones. Some weavers took their payments part in money and part in yarn. They expressed wish to wear cotton themselves. This was the high point of this cotton drive with Tai Khampti tribe.


Mehr is a one of a kind textile designed to highlight a unique coming together of various techniques and creativity of handcraft. This design will not be recreated. Mehr comes with a blouse fabric designed to encourage mora fireflies to bring their own authentic spirit to the fabrication of blouse fit, usage of borders and edgings.

Blouse worn by Nikita is not included.



“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

― Desmond Tutu

Buyer Empowerments

Intrinsic
Value
Involves traditional handloom weaving and skilled stitching skills to bind patchwork of varied density.
Creative
Aspect
One of a kind wearable textile that highlights an earthy combination of colours brought together in cotton fabric woven by weavers of Arunachal Pradesh
Heft-Feel
Light to moderate
Weather/ Mood
Pleasant for summers and breezy days.
Longevity
Not fragile
Care
Dry Clean only; Needs “Airing” in shadow, not direct sun. Do not wring.
State
Sari is ready to wear. All saris come with blouse fabric(s). No fall/beading required. The blouse used in photoshoot is for representation only and may not be the same blouse available with the sari. The blouse fabric given with the sari will be more in alignment with the aesthetics intended.
Soul
Mill spun mercerised cotton yarn with Azo-free dyeing for plain cotton fabrics
Drape
Casual, earthy, modern
Concerns
Addressed
Weaves made by artisan at home in available time- supporting farming lifestyle.
Training of untrained weavers.
Livelihood opportunity for amateur weavers, single mothers, older women who cannot farm.
Design handling leadership training, inventory keeping, costing and parcel handling training with Amla.
Collaborative design and decision making.
Awareness drive to choose natural yarns over easily available synthetic yarns.
Well-being Properties
Casual, earthy, modern
Read more on Buyer Empowerments ->
Cotton yarn from Salem, Tamil Nadu.

Weaving of plain fabrics done with supervision of Nang Amlavati, Arunachal Pradesh.

Stitched by Gurmel Singh, Jalalabad, Punjab.

Beadwork by Param, Bhatinda, Punjab.
Disclaimer:
Imperfections in the weaves reflect handmade
Irregularity in the dyes reflect natural process
Innocent spots in the textiles reflect being homemade
A work of nature cannot be sterile and error-free
A choice to still buy what we make is a step
Towards supporting original culture
Of people
Of nature
Of craft

A celebration of humanness.
Mora Collective 2025
designed by: MIDTOAN
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