What Is Hand Block Printing?

Hand block printing is one of the oldest textile crafts in the world. Long before machines, cloth was printed by hand with carved wooden blocks, and skilled printers still work this way today. It's also how we make our printed pieces.

How it works

1. Carving the block. A craftsperson carves the pattern into a block of seasoned hardwood. A detailed design can take days to carve, and each colour needs its own block.
2. Preparing the cloth. The fabric is washed to remove any finish, so the dye can take evenly.
3. Printing. The printer dips the block into a tray of dye, lines it up by eye, and presses it onto the cloth with a firm tap of the hand. They repeat this along the whole length, block by block.
4. Setting the colour. The printed cloth is dried in the sun, then washed and finished so the colour stays put.

Why no two pieces match exactly

Because every impression is placed by hand, you'll see tiny shifts in spacing and depth of colour. Those small differences are the mark of the craft, not a flaw. They're what makes a hand printed piece feel alive.

Common styles

• Florals: small, delicate flowers on light grounds.
• Geometric: repeating shapes, often in deep blues and reds.
• Simple motifs: bold, earthy single shapes with lots of space around them.
• Resist printing: a paste blocks the dye in places, giving soft, crackled edges.

Dyes

Traditional printers used plant and mineral dyes such as indigo, madder and pomegranate. Today, many workshops use a mix of natural and modern dyes. For baby and kids clothes, we choose skin-friendly dyes, and every printed piece is washed before it's sent.

Caring for block printed clothes

• Wash the first few times on their own, in cool water.
• Use a mild detergent and skip bleach.
• Dry in the shade to keep colours bright.

Block prints at Chiku Chums

Our block printed pieces are printed by hand by skilled artisans on soft natural cotton. You can find them in Block-Print Baby. If you'd like a print on a plain piece, get in touch.