A unique, one of a kind beautiful baby blanket measuring 100xm x 100cm. The perfect gift for a new mother, particularly one who cares about sustainable and fairtrade products. This blanket gets softer every time you wash it, and its 6 layers means it will really last.
This Kantha blanket is made from saris sourced from across Bangladesh buying made by women who have escaped lives of trafficking and poverty.
Kantha' is a traditional Bengali technique of straight, even stitching together of layers of saris. This kantha blanket is made by the social enterprise, Basha. Through dignified work, Basha provides a sustainable livelihood for women at risk and survivors of trafficking. Women gain job skills and the opportunity to develop into leaders and entrepreneurs in a healthy, healing environment. Each woman's story varies, but for each her circumstances have put her at high risk of harm or resulted in her exploitation. .
THE SARIS
Colourful patterned saris dot the Bangladesh landscape, worn by women helping with the rice cultivation, fetching water, resting in the shade, cooking the family meal, or nurturing children. Once discarded from the wardrobe, the sari's life has only just begun. For centuries, Bengali women have painstakingly stitched their time-softened saris with straight even stitches into items of beauty and homely use. Whether it's wrapping a newborn or providing warmth on a chilly night, the kantha blanket is a fixture in every Bengali home.
Kantha, meaning “patched cloth,” provides a glimpse into the thrift and artistry of Bengali women. Spanning generations and multiple variations, the art of stitching together remnants of worn saris is a work of love. During the long afternoons of summer, women gather to pass the time, and amid the laughter and stories, a kantha is born.
Basha saris are sourced from a wide variety of locations in Bangladesh, the sari's are
then carefully colour matched and washed. Hand stitching then begins joining the 6 layers of sari cloth.Once complete, the item is washed again. Each product is unique and often can never be replicated!
A baby kantha takes approximately 15 hours of hand sewing and a standard takes kantha 23 hours to create.
Your unique blanket will be ‘signed' in stitch by your artisan. You can even send your individual artisan a message here - https://www.bashaboutique.com/artisan-stories/
By buying a Shukhi Home kantha blanket, you are supporting womens' livelihoods and the creation of sustainable and beautiful products.
Product code: Kantha buying Baby Blanket - Pakhi