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Tribal Textiles Zambia x PATTERNITY A Modern Approach To The Traditional Batik Fabric Technique

Tribal Textiles Zambia x PATTERNITY Batik Fabric Technique Cushions

PATTERNITY is a London design and research studio that was founded on a love of pattern, how patterns are all around us in everyday life and sharing that with the world. The studio brings ideas, people and perspectives together. The studio has collaborated with Zambian textile company Tribal Textiles, who invited founders to visit their studio in Zambian to create a handmade homewares collection based on the company’s batik fabric technique.

The collection entitled Crackle Connections is centred on the signature starch batik fabric technique, which results in a distinctive crackle pattern and is used by Tribal Textiles to create their distinctive, bold colourful fabric collections. The inspiration for the pattern came from the details and textures of nature of Zambia. Observing the crackle pattern appearing in the hide of elephants, tree bark and cracks in the hot scorched earth. The geometric shapes were inspired by the chalkboards at Malimba, a local school and in buckets used to collect water.

Tribal Textiles Zambia x PATTERNITY Batik Fabric Technique Bedspreads

Tribal Textiles was founded over 20 years ago and is based in Mfuwe in the South Luangwa Valley, an hour’s flight from Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. The company works with over 100 local artisans to produce collections that have found particular favour with the Safari industry. Works of art in their own right Tribal Textiles batik fabric technique involves a lengthy production process that starts with individual designs  hand-drawn onto 100% cotton fabric sourced from southern Africa. Colour is handprinted on and the fabric is then cooked in an industrial oven, washed and dried in the sunshine. Once dry the starch is carefully removed to reveal the colourful designs.

The starch batik fabric technique is also used in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where it has become a popular for creating decorative fabrics seen in homes up and down the country as this previous article highlights Link to: http://www.atelierfiftyfive.com/tashanda-sadza-batik-fabric-technique-to-create-the-afrobag/

Designs in the Crackle Connection collection are produced in limited edition quantities, available on the Tribal Textiles website.

Additional details:

For further information about the Tribal Textiles visit: www.tribaltextiles.co.zm

For further information about the Tribal Textiles for PATTERNITY collection visit: www.patternity.org

[Image credits: The images shown belong to PATTERNITY. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]

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