This huge handmade blanket/ throw/ bedcover is made from an assortment of recycled saris beautifully Kantha stitched together with padding for warmth. Kantha stitched embroidery is one of the most important textile arts in Eastern India. It can be traced back 500 years. All the saris are lovingly laundered, then hand-stitched by the women makers, creating bright futures for mothers and babies in villages across India. Kantha stitch artisans give new life and purpose to old textiles. This truly is waste reborn into something useful. This blanket makes a true heirloom with so many stories stitched together. Sometimes within the designs the maker even sews in their hopes and dreams. Each piece is entirely unique as made from vintage saris. Technical What is Kantha Stitching?Kantha means patched cloth. Pronounced “KAHN-taa. It is a small straight running stitch that can be clean and simple or multi coloured and elaborate. It’s a beautifully simplistic technique that can be compared to the Japanese Sashiko stitching. Both techniques have their roots in recycling and giving new life and purpose to old textiles. Kantha is a style of stitching found in Indian embroidery, originally found in Bangladesh, Bengal, Odisha and Tripura. Although there are similar styles of this stitch found all over India. Classically created by stacking old saris onto each other and hand stitching them together using a simple running stitch to make a thin cushioned layer. Traditionally Bengali women layered together old discarded clothing with the simple kantha (running stitch) style stitching to make a bedspread or bed cushion, repurposing the old into something useful and protective. Over time the kantha stitch has grown into a traditional Bengali craft at the heart of their culture. It has become a skill passed down through generations of Bengali families. Quilts and blankets are made and designed from the family\'s recycled textiles by the women of the household to be given as wedding or new baby presents and eventually becoming family heirlooms. Each piece being made from recycled saris or dhotis that hold stories from a member of the family. Kantha stitched embroidery is one of the most important textile arts in Eastern India. It can be traced back 500 years. By using the kantha technique they up-cycled their old textiles into quilts for warmth and comfort. Even the yarn used to make the embroidery was salvaged from the other textiles and clothing. Specifications Cool wash is recommended to maintain the integrity of the multi layers of fabric. 180cm x130cm. Story Shared Earth\'s mission is to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged people in developing countries, benefiting local community projects and keeping alive traditional skills that would otherwise be lost. Shared Earth aims: To pay fair prices for the products they buy To always offer 50% payment upfront to overseas producers To ensure working conditions are acceptable To provide advice on design and product development To support their suppliers and their local communities To avoid child labour To commit to long term relationships with their suppliers Read more