How hand block printing works
Fabric is stretched on long padded tables. The printer dips a carved wooden block in a tray of colour and presses it onto the cloth, moving along the table and lining each impression up with the last by eye. A design uses one block for the outline and further blocks for each fill colour, so every colour is a separate pass that must register with the outline.
Some styles add a resist. In dabu printing a mud paste is block-printed onto the cloth, which is then dyed, often in indigo; the mud keeps the dye out and is washed off, leaving a pale pattern with fine cracks. Printed cloth is then dried, steamed or aged to fix the colour, and washed.
Jaipur is a Town of Export Excellence for handicrafts. Two printing traditions near it are registered GIs: Sanganeri Hand Block Printing (IP India application 147, certificate dated 19 March 2010) and Bagru Hand Block Print (application 183, certificate dated 11 May 2011). IBEF reports exports of handprinted textiles and scarves of US$233.09 million for April to August 2026.
What we check on block-printed fabric and products
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Block joins | Repeats checked along and across the cloth against the reference pieces | Gaps or overlaps beyond the reference, visible stripes where impressions meet |
| Registration | Fill colours checked against outlines on each colourway | Fills sitting off the outline by more than the agreed amount |
| Print density | Pressure marks and pale impressions compared across the piece | Patchy, under-inked or smudged impressions |
| Dry and wet rub | White cloth rubbed on dark print areas, dry and wet | Colour transfer, especially from pigment prints |
| Wash-off | Swatch soaked in water where allowed; lab wash-fastness test | Colour bleeding into the ground |
| Resist (dabu) | Resist areas checked for blurred edges and blotches | Mud breakdown leaving dye in the pattern, uneven indigo |
| Shade | Pieces from different tables and dye batches compared | Mixed shades within one colourway |
| Method | Printing tables and blocks seen; repeat edges examined for block irregularity | Perfectly even, mechanically repeated print sold as hand block |
Common hand-block-printed textile defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Class |
|---|---|
| Screen or digital print supplied as hand block print | Critical for the claim |
| Missing colour pass or wrong colourway | Major |
| Smudged or double impression in a prominent place | Major |
| Colour bleeding on wet rub | Major |
| Printing table marks, stains from the padding | Major or minor by visibility |
| Small offsets at joins within the reference range | Not a defect |
Hand variation is what the buyer pays for, so set the line with signed reference pieces: an approved sample and an example of the most variation you will accept.
Dye claims, GI names and market rules
- Natural dyes. Many block-printed ranges are sold as vegetable or natural-dyed, but synthetic dyes are common and mixed recipes are normal. If you make the claim, ask the printer for its dye recipe and purchase records; the inspector records what dyes are in use on the day.
- Azo dyes. REACH Annex XVII entry 43 restricts azo dyes that can release listed amines in textiles with long skin contact. Pigments and dyes bought locally should be covered by a lab test; see azo dyes and restricted substances.
- GI names. "Sanganeri" or "Bagru" in a product name refers to a registered GI. Use it only for goods from registered users, and ask for proof.
- Labels. Fibre and origin labels under the Textile Act and care labels on apparel and piece goods in the US; fibre names under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, see EU textile labelling. Organic fabric claims need GOTS certification of the chain.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
Block-printed cloth with heavy pigment can transfer onto facing layers when folded tight in humid heat, and indigo dabu prints can mark light goods packed next to them. Pieces must be fully dry after washing before they are folded and bagged. The inspector checks dryness, smell, fold, interleaving where agreed, and pack counts by colourway.
- Base fabric, fibre and weight.
- Approved strike-off per colourway, with reference pieces for join and registration variation.
- Dye type and any natural, azo-free or organic claim, with the evidence required.
- Colour fastness grades for rubbing and washing, and the lab method.
- Shrinkage limit and finishing (washed, softened).
- Packing: fold, interleaf, bag and carton.
Block prints are often made into bed linen and bedspreads: see quilts and bedspreads and bed sheets and duvet covers. Book an inspection in Jaipur.
Sources
- IP India GI registry: Sanganeri Hand Block Printing (application 147)
- IP India GI registry: Bagru Hand Block Print (application 183)
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence (Jaipur: handicrafts)
- IBEF: Handicrafts industry and exports (updated Oct 2026)
- FTC: Threading your way through the labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts