Singular, special & exclusive artisan creations
Welcome to Birch & Loom; your destination for beautiful textiles, handcrafted homewares and original accessories. All our products are sourced directly from the artisans who make them in India and South East Asia. In doing so we support their financial independence as well as helping to preserve traditional creative techniques which are at risk of disappearing.
Rogan Art
There is only one place in the world where rogan art is practiced, and that is in the sleepy town of Narona in Gujarat, in India’s isolated northwest. Isolated it may be, but the fame of the rogan practitioners has spread far and wide, so much so, that a rogan work was selected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present to Barack Obama on the occasion of his visit to the United States in 2014.
Suzani Embroidery
Suzani originates from the Persian word suzan, meaning needle, and originated in Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan, Tajikstan and Kazakhstan. It was a skill practised by nomadic tribes who used the large embroidered panels as a protective wrapping for their belongings, as prayer mats, bedding and for seating inside their yurts.
They were traditionally made by the women of the family as part of the bride’s dowry, and carried symbols of health and fertility. Floral patterns, pomegranates, suns and moons, leaves and vines are all typical design themes.
JOURNAL
Vibrant Suzani
It is rare to find genuine antique suzanis as by their nature, they are impermanent. However it is worth trying to source pieces dating back from the early to mid 20th century which were made with natural vegetable dyes resulting in a beautiful intensity of colour which can’t be matched by the synthetic dyes used…
Going Global
Globetrotting adventures are off the travel agenda for now. But as we dream of the holiday that didn’t happen, we make a compelling and affordable alternative destination, enticing you to visit and spice up your interiors with the exotic colours and rich hand-crafted traditional textures from far-off places. From beautiful textiles to handcrafted homewares and…
The Joy of Aroma
We’ve talked about the magic powers of aromas in our lives and the gorgeous essential oils we use in our handmade soaps. Now I’m excited to introduce a recent discovery which takes aromatherapy to the next level. When I came across Melis natural perfumes, I experienced a personal awakening. Made from 100% pure essential oils…
