Bandhani, Batik & Shibori: Bound by Dye, Freed by Design

Bandhini was in the news recently. Ralph Lauren has faced global backlash in April 2026 for selling a  (£420) “Bandhani-inspired” printed cotton wrap skirt without explicitly crediting India, the craft’s origin. Critics argue the design mimics Bandhani aesthetics but is machine-printed, stripping away artisanal authenticity and sidelining Indian artisans. The skirt uses printed fabric, not hand-tied Bandhani, which requires painstaking knotting and dyeing.

Bandhini Batik & Shibori

Across continents and centuries, cloth has carried stories. In India, Bandhani knots find their ways into bridal silks; in Indonesia, Batik’s waxed lines trace royal philosophies; in Japan, Shibori’s indigo folds echo the rhythm of storms and nature. Three traditions, three cultures, one shared language of resistance and release—where dye is held back, beauty emerges, and heritage is written. All three—Bandhani, Batik, and Shibori  are textile traditions that share the resist-dyeing principle but express it differently.

Common Thread

• Resist-Dye Principle: Each technique prevents dye from reaching certain parts of the fabric, creating patterns.

• Handcrafted Artistry: All rely on manual skill and patience, with artisans carefully preparing fabric before dyeing.
• Symbolic Motifs: Designs often carry cultural meaning—whether auspicious dots in Bandhani, royal motifs in Batik, or nature-inspired forms in Shibori.
• Natural Dyes: Traditionally, they used plant-based dyes (indigo, turmeric, madder, etc.), linking the craft to local ecology

Bandhani Design (India).It means “To tie” (Sanskrit).

It is precision in dotted motifs

It dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization (~3000 BCE). They are tiny knots tied with thread before dyeing, creating dotted motifs.

They are  strongly identified to weddings and festivals in the States of  Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Bandhani is a type of tie-dye textile decorated by plucking the cloth with the fingernails into many tiny bindings that form a figurative design. It involves pinching fabric with thumbnails, tying with thread and subsequently dyeing in stages.The motifs include Dots (bindi), waves (leheriya), checks (mothara).Fabrics are  silk, cotton or georgette.Texture looks like  crinkled surface from knots.

Today, most Bandhani making centers are situated in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sindh, Punjab region and in Tamil Nadu where it is known as Sungudi. It is known as chunri in Pakistan.

Shibori (Japan)

Tie-dye, in fact, has been around for centuries. Take Japan’s shibori technique for instance; it is derived from the Japanese word ‘shiboru’. Shibori which means to wring, squeeze or press. One of the oldest techniques of resist-dyeing; fabrics are bound, tied, sewn, compressed, twisted, knotted and folded to create sections that resist the dye and then form contrasting patterns. It came to Japan 1,300 years ago from China, and found another unique interpretation here.

Origin: Ancient Japan, earliest surviving examples from 756 CE at Tōdai-ji temple. Emerged during the Nara period (~8th century CE). Regions: Nara, Kyoto, later spread globally.

Indigo dye  is used predominantly and it symbolized protection, harmony with nature.

The technique includes  folding, stitching, pleating, clamping, and binding  the fabric before dyeing.

Styles:

• • • Kanoko (fawn spots, similar to Bandhani dots)
    • Arashi (storm, diagonal rain-like lines)
    • Kumo (spider web)
    • Itajime (clamped geometric shapes).

Batik Indonasia 

Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique that originated in Indonesia, particularly on the island of Java, though similar methods appeared in ancient Egypt, China, and India. It became globally recognized in the 19th century when European scholars and traders documented Javanese batik. Batik is Indonesia’s most iconic textile art, blending ancient wax-resist dyeing with deep cultural symbolism. While wax-resist techniques existed globally, Javanese batik achieved unmatched refinement and cultural depth, making it both a national symbol and a global design influence.

It flourished in Java, Indonesia, with evidence from the 13th century; UNESCO- recognized heritage. Archaeological evidence shows batik patterns in 13th-century East Java temple carvings.They use wax-resist dyeing using a canting (pen tool) or copper stamps (tjaps). The word batik comes from Javanese amba (“to write”) and titik (“dot”), referring to the dotted wax patterns.

Motifs are primarily  geometric, floral, symbolic designs; some reserved for royalty (parang, kawung). Everyday wear and ceremonial garments, deeply symbolic in Javanese culture use Batik prints.

Process:

Hot wax is applied to fabric using a canting (pen-like tool) or copper stamps (tjaps) .Multiple cycles of waxing and dyeing create intricate, multicoloured designs.Cotton and silk  fabrics are most common. for Batik prints.

Cross-Cultural Influence

In modern fashion, Indian designers blend Shibori’s indigo aesthetics with Bandhani’s vibrant colours, creating fusion textiles.

Together, they show how different cultures evolved resist-dyeing into unique textile arts, each carrying deep cultural meaning while sharing a common creative foundation.Today, all three are celebrated worldwide, influencing contemporary fashion and design while remaining rooted in tradition

They share several important commonalities despite their different cultural origins. Each textile  represents heritage, rituals, and philosophy in its culture.