Behind the Craft: How Our Tote Bags Are Made in Jaipur

Every Draped in Heritage tote bag starts as a bolt of raw cotton in Jaipur, Rajasthan — and ends up in your hands after passing through the workshops of artisans who have practiced their craft for generations.

Here is what happens in between.

Step 1: The cotton

We start with 100% cotton fabric sourced from local mills in Rajasthan. The cotton is washed, pre-shrunk, and prepared for printing. For our quilted totes, layers of cotton are stitched together to create a fabric that is lightweight but sturdy.

Step 2: The blocks

Block printing begins with the blocks themselves. Our artisan partners carve intricate patterns into blocks of teak wood by hand. A single complex pattern might require multiple blocks — one for the outline, one for fill, one for detail — each carved with precision.

These blocks are not disposable tools. Many have been in use for years, developing a patina that only comes from thousands of impressions. The carvers who make them are specialists, and their skill directly determines the quality of every print.

Step 3: The printing

The actual printing is a meditative process. The printer sits on the floor with the fabric stretched flat, dips the block into a tray of dye, and presses it firmly against the fabric. Then moves to the next position. And the next.

There is no guide rail, no laser alignment, no machine calibration. Consistency comes from years of practice and muscle memory. A skilled printer can maintain remarkably even spacing across yards of fabric — but slight variations are inevitable, and they are what give each piece its character.

Step 4: Drying and finishing

After printing, the fabric is spread out to dry — often on rooftops or in open courtyards under the Rajasthan sun. The heat sets the dyes and intensifies the colors. The fabric is then washed to remove excess dye, dried again, and inspected.

Step 5: Cutting and sewing

The printed fabric is cut to pattern and sewn into tote bags by local tailors. Handles are reinforced, seams are finished, and each bag is inspected before it ships.

From Jaipur to South Orange

The finished bags travel from Jaipur to our base in South Orange, New Jersey, where we inspect, photograph, and ship them to customers across the US. The entire process — from cotton to finished bag — involves over a dozen people across three continents.

When you carry a Draped in Heritage tote, you carry the work of all of them.

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