Tant - Handloom of West Bengal

USE OF BENGAL TANT

West Bengal has produced the most number of creative people like artists, fashion designers, singers and many other cultural maestros. One of them which is most ignored is the artisans who weave fabulous Tant saris and fabrics. Bengal Tant is one of the Famous Hand loom that gives its charm mostly in Saris. Tant Saries from West Bengal is famous for its weaving technique and breath ability. However, not so many fashion designers have tried this excellent fabric in outfits other than saris. This is an effort to promote this tant fabric in its usability in modern cocktail dresses and tops.  I hope after seeing the collection viewers would change their mindset for not just using this as saris but also for dress materials and cocktail dresses.

row 2, cell 1	row 2, cell 2

In this collection I have incorporated two well know and Most traditional Bengal Tant Hand-loom fabric which is Daccai Jamdani and Tangail. So far this was confined to Saris however, I found it can show its true importance if it is also used for contemporary dresses and gowns. Like I said on my previous post where I have used this fabrics for an evening gown. Being a Technical Fashion Designer and from Bengal it inspired me to do something creative on those hand-loom and also try something which appeals the young and happening consumers. I sincerely feel there is a lot of scope of using those hand-loom fabrics to present the customers with something new which will give a mid way of new stuff and at the same time keeping and growing this traditional culture intact.

row 2, cell 1	row 2, cell 2

The famous of all is Bengali cotton which is famously known as “Tant”. Its considered to be the most comfortable supporting the hot climate. Bengali cotton are commonly called Tant. Its hand woven having bright colors with decorative borders. Triumphing over the trauma of partition, weaver families which migrated to West Bengal in the 1950’s have helped keep alive a priceless heritage of highly stylized weaving techniques honed over generations. The hand-loom industry in the eastern region has had its share of bumpy rides, but Bengal hand-looms have survived the ups and downs to become a household name among connoisseurs of textiles.

row 2, cell 1	row 2, cell 2

DACCAI JAMDANI:

Daccai Jamdani is distinguished from its mutant cousins by its very fine texture resembling muslin and the elaborate and ornate workmanship. In Bangladesh, weavers use fine Egyptian cotton, while the Indian weavers use only indigenous raw material. The Daccai Jamdani is woven painstakingly by hand on the old fashioned Jala loom, and many take even up to one year to weave a single sari or fabric. These Jamdani, which are literally “woven dreams”, are the most sought after saris and fabrics today.

OTHER JAMDANI:

While the Daccai Jamdani is strictly a party affair, the other Jamdanis are much sought after by fashion-conscious working women for their elegance. These are mostly Jamdani motifs on Tangail fabric and are generally known by the confusing no-men cloture of Tangail Jamdani. Tangail, Dhoneokali, Shantipuri and Begumpuri are other popular styles of Bengal handlooms in the lower price range. Of these, Tangail which comes from Fulia, has a fine texture, with its 100s count fabric and highly stylized motifs, while Dhoneokali is known for its stripes and checks. Over the years, the distinctive patterns have merged as weavers started experimenting with various combinations of design and yarn, so much so, it is now difficult to distinguish between the various styles, unless one is an expert on texture.