Resist and dye: The Shibori revolution

Of late, we have been hearing a lot of the word shibori. If the name doesn’t sound very Indian, it’s because it isn’t! Shibori is a Japanese resist dyeing method that made its way to India in the early 20th century; some say through Rabindranath Tagore! It’s now practiced in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi. The earliest Japanese shibori samples are from the 8th century. By the 18th century, there were about 150 different types of shibori techniques in use, and today, only about 70 remain. Like in India, there are people trying to keep this art form alive. Shibori comes from the Japanese word “Shiboru” which means “to wring, squeeze and press.” Shibori creates beautiful designs by tying, stitching, folding, or compressing the fabric.