Naga Tribal Backstrap-Woven Mustard and Black Cushion Cover

Woven on a backstrap loom in the Himalayan foothills of Nagaland by women who learned this craft from their mothers. The mustard and black color combination is less common than the red-and-black in Naga weaving, it signals a different tribal vocabulary, a different set of associations. The motifs are woven in, not stamped or embroidered.

In Nagaland, the backstrap loom is body-mounted, one end tied to a post, the other fastened around the weaver's lower back. She controls tension and shed with her body weight, which means the textile she makes is, in a literal sense, shaped by her body. The mustard and black tribal motifs on this handmade cushion cover were woven in this way, thread by thread, the pattern forming as the weaving progressed.

Mustard and black is an unusual palette in Naga weaving, it reads as more contemporary than the traditional red-and-black while remaining fully rooted in the artisanal tribal visual tradition. On a cushion, it works against a wide range of upholstery, cream, terracotta, olive, grey linen.

Backstrap Loom Woven · Handcrafted Naga Tribal Motif · Nagaland · Pure Cotton

Care Instructions

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