HOW IT WAS MADE
The beauty of Dilli Grey is in the story, the process and the people as much as the end product, something we are passionate about sharing, transparently through our journal.
Our products are made from carefully sourced, natural fabrics such as organic cotton and linen; skillfully designed and made in small runs. We pride ourselves on considering all the angles, from fit to fabric, to those special touches that elevate a piece to something worth treasuring.
Here you can learn all about the different artisan skills we use to create our Dilli Grey designs and the incredible work that goes into honouring each heritage craft:
HAND-BLOCK PRINTING
Our signature hand-block printing is done by artisans outside Jaipur. The blocks are carved from wood by hand, then printed using eco inks, by eye - no machinery is used. It is a technique that has changed very little over the centuries and takes years to master. The fabric is then dried in the Rajasthani sunshine before being sent to our tailors to create our beautiful boho designs.
HAND SCREEN PRINTING
Our hand-screen printing is done by artisans outside Jaipur. Using a traditional frame method the 100% organic cotton is printed using eco inks. The fabric is then dried in the Rajasthani sunshine before being sent to our tailors to be turned into our handmade dresses.
HAND EMBROIDERY
Our Lucknow Collection is hand-embroidered using the centuries old technique of ‘Chikankari’- a style of embroidery traditional to Lucknow – each and every piece is unique, like a snowflake – and created for us by a women’s co-operative based outside the city.
VINTAGE TEXTILES
We work with trusted antiques dealers who specialise in sourced vintage textiles on our behalf throughout India. These textiles would otherwise be lost, or not in use but by reimagining them into modern womenswear we are able to give them another life and reduce the new raw materials that we are drawing on to create our collections.
HAND-BLOCK CARVING
Tariq, our hand-block carver is the son of an award-winning carver and has learnt his trade from the best. Our intricate candle holders are all designed and carved by Tariq in his family business in Uttar Pradesh.
HAND QUILTING
Our 100% cotton fabric is hand-block printed by a team just outside Jaipur. The wooden block design is carved by hand, taking up to a month to complete, then the colour is added and printed by hand, often layering up to 4 colours to one design. The printing house employs unskilled young men, provides them with accommodation and training to become skilled craftsmen in this heritage Rajasthani textile design. They are then lovingly filled with natural cotton filler and hand quilted by a co-operative of ladies outside Jaipur. A labour of love that we hope shines through in these very special, heirloom quilts.
CASHMERE
We work directly with an artisan weaver in Srinagar, within the Kashmir Valley where cashmere production began in the 13th century. A family run business since 1965, yarn from the rare Changthangi breed of cashmere goat (which makes up less than 0.1% of the world's global cashmere production) is hand-loomed using a traditional technique on a small, sustainable scale rather than mass-machine knitted.