Sethu Materials & Techniques

Every Sethu garment is made slowly by hand in India. We are very fortunate to work with some of the most talented artisans in the world, preserving and breathing new life into centuries-old traditions. At its core, Sethu is committed to re-centering production with the artisans and communities who have shaped these materials for generations.

Below is a reference to some of the many materials and techniques that are utilized in our garments.

Materials

Kala Cotton

Kala Cotton is a rain-fed cotton cultivar indigenous to the arid plains of Kachchh, Gujarat that grows without pesticides or irrigation. India’s history with kala cotton dates back nearly 5,000 years to the Indus Valley Civilization. Strong, breathable, and naturally textured, it reflects both sustainability and tradition.

Khadi Cotton

Khadi is a handspun and handwoven process of producing cotton that played an important role in the Indian self-sufficiency and anti-colonial resistance movement by bringing textile manufacturing back to India from Britain. Khadi cotton is known for its softness, breathability, and moisture-wicking properties.

Kullu Wool

Kullu wool comes from local sheep herds in the high-altitude valleys of the foothills of the Himalayas. Thicker and heavier than other wools, it’s perfect for warmer and more durable garments, and adds character in the form of wonderful slubby irregularities.

Merino Wool

Merino wool has an immense number of beneficial properties. It is lightweight, breathable, insulating, moisture-wicking, antimicrobial, and odor-resisting. Its fine fibers regulate temperature in both heat and cold, making it the ultimate performance fabric for hiking and everyday wear.

Mulberry Silk

Likely introduced to India by China 2,000 years ago, Mulberry Silk is produced by domesticated silkworms that feed exclusively on Mulberry leaves. The prism structure of the fibers allows for breathability, regulates body temperature, and reflects light — giving the fabric a lustrous sheen.

Recycled Synthetics

Made from either post-industrial waste like fabric scraps or post-consumer waste like plastic bottles, recycled synthetics are transformed into new yarns to be repurposed. As we are committed to sustainability and reducing waste, when synthetics are occasionally required for their elastic properties, they are sourced from recycled materials.

Sea Shells

The first button, made from a curved shell, can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization over 2,000 years ago. Today, shell buttons are still widely used across India, and feature in many of our shirts. No two shells are alike — each button has its own shape and thickness.

Buffalo Horns

Composed of a core of bone surrounded by multiple layers of smooth keratin, buffalo horns make for excellent buttons due to their rich colors, durability, and smoothness.

Wood

While wood has numerous useful applications in craft, we primarily use it for buttons.

Jute

Cultivated for thousands of years in present-day East India and Bangladesh, jute has long been used to make ropes, bags, mats, and more. We use jute to tie our hangtags to garments.

Techniques

Natural Dyeing

Indigo

One of the world’s oldest and most important dyes, indigo was once touted as “blue gold” for the value it carried across the Silk Road. Yarns and fabrics are dipped into large pits of fermented indigo, producing a rich, deep blue.

Tea

Popular the world over as chai, dried black tea leaves are used to dye fabrics and yarn, producing a gentle, nutty brown.

Marigold

The flower most associated with Indian garlands and temples produces vibrant yellow and golden hues when used as a dye. Marigolds can also be dual dyed with indigo, creating a soft sage green.

Harda (Indian Gooseberry)

Harda, also known as Myrobalan, is an extremely versatile dyeing ingredient, functioning as both a dye and a mordant. Mordants assist dyes in binding to the fabric or yarn. Harda itself can produce a range of lovely earth tones.

Iron Rust

Iron on its own imparts no color, but darkens dyes that contain tannins. We use iron in conjunction with Harda, which has a naturally high tannin content, to produce a textured charcoal.

Handloom Weaving

India’s sartorial history has largely been shaped by the handloom. Prior to British colonization, Indian clothing largely relied on draping rather than tailoring. Without the concern of seam slippage from cutting and sewing, handloom techniques evolved to become incredibly complex and intricate.

All of our wovens are made the way they have been for millennia: on the loom, by hand. This allows us to experiment, create new weave structures, produce high-quality fabrics, and help preserve a beautiful tradition that affords its weavers a better quality of life.

There is no breaking-in period for handwoven fabrics — they feel lived-in right off the loom.

Hand Knitting

Often dismissed as a hobby for the elderly, hand knitting has always been a powerful way to create with nothing but yarn and two needles. Our sweaters are knit slowly and lovingly by hand over many weeks by a women-owned and operated collective of artisans in the famed Kullu valley of the Himalayas.

Intarsia

A knitting technique where yarns of different colors are incorporated directly into the knitting process, allowing knitters to create images directly on the garment.

Appliqué

A technique where cut fabric is layered onto a base fabric and stitched down by hand to create shapes through contrast and juxtaposition.

Kantha Embroidery

Originating in Bengal (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh), Kantha stitching began as a way to repurpose used textiles by layering and adjoining them with visible running stitches to create quilted fabrics.

Block Printing

While many different block-printing techniques exist across India, the core process involves hand-carving an image into a wooden block, dipping the block into dye, and pressing it onto fabric. We use block printing for our labels and tote bags.