Journey of Vintage kantha quilt from recycled vintage saris of Bengal to Fine Kantha Quilt

Jaipur Handloom Vintage Kantha Quilts are entirely hand stitched from recycled cotton saris in India ( Bengal ).  A sari is a piece of cloth worn by Indian women by draping over the body in varied styles.  Have you ever wondered where the beautiful vintage fabrics come from that make up our one-of-a-kind kantha quilts?

While there are many places you can find kantha quilts these days, Jaipur Handloom truly pride itself on the quality and craftsmanship that go into creating our one-of-a-kind traditional kantha quilts and assorted kantha goodies. On average it will take an artisan 15-24 days to make a beautiful quilt with around 500 lines of kantha needle work stitching.  A skilled artisan can typically produce 2 or 3 kantha quilts per month.  But before the artisans can start bringing these quilts to life, they must have the perfect, softest, most beautiful cotton saris to use. 

We work hard to source the highest quality, 100% cotton saris from markets in Jaipur India which is where we are based off, which is then handed over to the kantha artisans of Bengal who then use a small, straight running stitch in Bengali embroidery sewing together multiple layers of 100% cotton fabric to put together a fine art of kantha work.

The authentic Kantha quilt is vintage by nature, created from saris which are no longer worn. The usable pieces of cloth are pieced together to create patchworked layers of bedspread size cloth.

For these artisans over time, kantha developed as a generational skill, a craft that could symbolically impart story, desire, and well-wishing for loved ones & gift recipients. Elaborate kantha were made as wedding gifts or gifts for mothers, with stories and wishes weaved in, allowing illiterate women to leave a lasting mark.

KANTHA’s POPULARITY AS OF TODAY MAKES IT MUCH SOUGHT AFTER HANDICRAFT

• Today, the rich tradition of kantha has gained popularity in the West; no surprise, given the beauty, intricacy, and "wow" handmade factor of each piece.
• The cloth is repurposed, no by-products of production; the only factory-produced supplies we use are thread and new, undyed, natural cotton, makes it environment friendly product.

• Cotton saris have been traded on doorsteps for cooking pots & spoons, then sold at large sari markets; our "special" silk-blend blankets are made from silk-blend cloth discarded by the producers for flaws, colour variation, out-dated patterns, or as remnants. All the cloth that makes kantha Quilts or Kantha Blankets sold at Jaipur Handloom is sourced in Bengal, India.

We are always adding new Large kantha quilts ( Queen) and small kantha throws ( Twin ) to our online shop, each sale Empower Women by giving women the confidence to support their families and become leaders in their communities. 

Make sure to check out of newest selection of one-of-a-kind kantha quilts and sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when they are restocked more!