List of products by brand Khatri Abdul Rahim Anwar

Khatri Abdul Rahim Anwar is an award-winning Ajrakh block printer from Dhamadka village in Kutch in Gujarat, AbdulRahim is a 10th generation in his family practicing this ancient handicraft. They migrated from Sindh to Kutch and settled in the eastern part, in a village called Rapar, where they made hand block printed textiles for sale to local communities for around 400 years. In the 1950s, the demand for natural dyed/vegetable dyed block print fabrics reached saturation point as customers found the textiles to be expensive compared to less expensive imitations. His father maintained the practice of natural dyed block printing and it is still in fashion nowadays famous brands are using such fabrics for their garments.

Printing on textiles is a years-old traditional process of applying different types of patterns on the fabric. The block printing is the magical blend of artistic craftsmanship and the patience and tenacity of the artisan. The hand-carved wooden block drenched in organic ink leaves some unique and ethical design on the fabric. When the ink is properly embedded with the fabric, it does not fade with wash.Though there are many ways to make the print on the textile, the block print is the most ethnic and intriguing process of all. There are different types of wooden blocks on which the designers engrave the design with the utmost care and precision. Then the artisans cover the block with ink or natural dye and then stamp on the fabric. There is no use of brush or stencil in this process.The common motifs of the block prints are flowers, animals, and abstract designs. When the right color contrast is being used, it can give the most ordinary fabric a unique look.Using the wooden block, the artists can print different printing patterns on fabrics like silk, cotton, and linen. In textile printing, it is a quite simple yet slowest process. 

 Abdul Rahim says that, being the eldest son, he had to help his father and could not continue with his formal education. Abdul Rahim Khatri trained in the art of printing with natural dyes from his father. In 2001, his entire region was hit by a devastating earthquake, destroying homes and workplaces. It was then that the community elders decided to move yet again to a new place and set up a new village called Ajrakhpur. Apart from exhibitions, he works with retailers and designers creating unique Ajrakh block print products. He has translated Ajrakh prints on stoles, dupattas and pallus of saris, experimented with different fabrics like cotton and silk, different types of silks, made new block patterns and combined them with traditional designs.