Naga Backstrap-Woven Runner Monochrome Stripe

In the Himalayan foothills of Nagaland, tribal women weavers work on backstrap looms, also called loin looms, where the loom itself is anchored to the weaver's body. The tension is her tension. The rhythm is her breath. These monochrome striped runners are woven from 100% mercerised cotton with azo-free dyes by skilled weavers in Nagaland, each motif in the collection carrying the specific symbolic identity of the tribe it comes from.

The backstrap loom is one of the oldest weaving technologies on earth, and in Nagaland it remains the primary tool. The weaver sits on the ground, the loom attached to a post at one end and a strap around her waist at the other. Every thread is placed in a tension held by her own body. The resulting cloth is tight, even, and carries in its structure the particular quality of attention that only embodied making produces.

This monochrome striped runner in mercerised cotton has a sheen that comes from the yarn itself, not from any finish applied after weaving. The stripes are architectural, crisp, deliberate, belonging equally to a modern apartment and a house full of inherited furniture. The craft is from Nagaland. The result is for anyone.

Backstrap Loom Weave · Nagaland · Mercerised Cotton · Azo-Free Dyes

Care Instructions

• Machine wash cold, gentle cycle.
• Do not bleach. Line dry or tumble dry low.
• Iron on medium while slightly damp.
• Wash separately first two washes.