Traditions our innovators keep alive
Bangladesh has a deep heritage of handcraft. These are some of the traditions you can find among BayZel innovators, with the materials, techniques and regions behind them.
Nakshi Kantha
Kantha began as a way to give old cloth a second life. Several layers of worn cotton are laid together and held with thousands of small running stitches. Embroiderers draw lotuses, fish, vines, birds and scenes of village life into the surface, so the stitching becomes both the structure and the decoration.
- Region
- Jashore, Jamalpur and Rajshahi
- Material
- Layers of soft cotton, often from worn sarees and lungis
- Technique
- Running-stitch embroidery through several layers of cloth
Jute
Jute is often called the golden fibre of Bengal. The plant grows quickly, and the fibre is fully biodegradable, which makes it a natural replacement for plastic in the home. Innovators braid and coil it into rugs and baskets, knot it into lampshades, and weave it into strong cloth for bags.
- Region
- The river delta of central and northern Bangladesh
- Material
- Natural jute fibre, spun, braided and stitched by hand
- Technique
- Hand braiding, coiling, macramé and loom weaving
Shital Pati
Shital pati means “cool mat”. Weavers split the stems of the murta plant into fine strips and weave them into smooth mats that stay cool to the touch in hot weather. The traditional art of Shital Pati weaving of Sylhet is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Region
- Sylhet
- Material
- Split murta cane, natural and dyed
- Technique
- Plain and patterned hand weaving of fine cane strips
Terracotta
Bengal’s potters, known as kumars, have shaped river clay for centuries. Each piece is thrown or modelled by hand, dried and then fired. The colour shifts slightly with every firing, so no two bowls or planters are exactly alike.
- Region
- Potter communities across the delta
- Material
- Local river clay
- Technique
- Wheel throwing, hand modelling and kiln firing
Cane & Bamboo
Cane and bamboo regrow quickly after harvest. Innovators soak, split and weave them into baskets, trays, lampshades and organisers that are light, strong and biodegradable at the end of their long life.
- Region
- Sylhet and the hill districts
- Material
- Cane and bamboo
- Technique
- Soaking, splitting and hand weaving
Jamdani
In jamdani, motifs are not printed or embroidered on top of the cloth. The weaver inlays each motif by hand as the fabric is woven, so a single piece can take many days. The traditional art of Jamdani weaving is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Region
- Rupganj and Sonargaon, Narayanganj
- Material
- Fine cotton and silk-cotton
- Technique
- Supplementary-weft motifs inlaid by hand on the loom
Small differences are part of the work
Natural fibres and clay vary from batch to batch, and every innovator has their own hand. Expect slight differences in colour, weave and size between pieces. They are the signature of something made by a person.