Indian Trade Textiles

Antique Chintz from the Karun Collection

Indian Chintz via The Karun Collection

Indian trade cloth via the Karun Collection

Indian trade cloth via the Karun Collection

Indian trade cloth--via the Karun Collection

via the Karun Collection

I love old Indian block printed textiles printed with natural dyes called Chintz, Calico--from Calicut, or Indiennes, French for "India." The beautiful red color was produced from madder, a species of flowering plant related to coffee. Madder is also used as an anti-inflammatory herb. These antique fabrics are from the Karun Collection.