Ajrakh Cotton Fjord Shirt | madder

A refined shirt with a relaxed A-line silhouette, designed for ease of movement and a soft, fluid drape. The asymmetric hem and side slits create subtle variation in shape, giving the piece a quiet sense of flow and balance.

• Short nehru collar

• Center front closes with hand beaten brass buttons

• Elbow length dolman sleeves with small cuff slit and underarm gusset

• Box pleat in center back

• Hand block printed in the ancient technqiue of ajrakh - a complex 15-stage process using natural vegetable & mineral mordants, dyes & resists to achieve rich, geometric patterns,  crafted by the Khatri community in Ajrakhpur, whose ancestors have been perfecting the process for generations

• Crafted in a soft and light cotton

• All orders come lovingly packed in upcycled silk bags

• SM

  • Length centre front 29.5”

  • Chest 48” round

  • Sleeve opening 12” round

• ML

  • Length centre front 30.5”

  • Chest 50” round

  • Sleeve opening 13” round

+/- a tolerance inherent to hand made clothing

• Fabric: 100% cotton

• Handfeel: Lightweight and soft

• Care: Gentle & quick hand wash in mild detergent. Don't soak as some colours may run. Drip dry in the shade. Gentle steam iron. Natural colours may change over time. Darker colours may bleed & rub at first. Store in the dark.

• Origin: Gujaratl, India

Textile Story

Ajrakh is an ancient form of traditional hand block mordant printing & resist dyeing using exclusively natural dyes, like indigo & madder, and natural  mordants. The process is extremely laborious & complex, and practiced by master artisans only in Western India & Eastern Pakistan. 

We're proud to partner with Sufiyan Khatri, one of the foremost ajrakh Master Artisans of India. Sufiyan, his grandfather, Mohmed Siddiq Khatri, & father, Dr Ismail Khatri, have been instrumental in reviving this art form both within India & internationally. 

Following the design of the pattern, wooden blocks are carved by hand. The cloth is then hand printed through a series of around 15 steps, dictated by the specific chemical reactions of each individual natural dye, resist & mordant. 

Any variations or irregularities are to be celebrated. They are part of the design & inherent to the handcrafted production process, making this item beautifully unique.