BEHIND CLOSED DOORS NILA

THIS JAIPUR-BASED CENTRE IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING TRADITIONAL CRAFT TECHNIQUES

- Miriam Methuen-Jones

After agriculture, craft is the biggest source of employment in India – and yet India’s hand industries are in crisis. One major factor in this is the decline in indigo production. Historically a very sustainable crop grown widely across the country, its cultivation enriched the soil and provided work through the production of beautiful, natural dyes. The shift towards synthetic replacements has had a devastating impact on rural communities.

Nila, a non-profit organisation supporting artisans in India, is trying to make a difference. It’s the brainchild of Lady Carole Bamford, who set up the textiles and homeware brand in 2016 after seeing craftspeople being forced to abandon natural, traditional practices for synthetic quick fixes. She already had a passion for natural dyes so it made sense to make this Nila’s focus. “Nila was born out of a love of and admiration for Indian textiles and handcrafts,” she says. “When I started travelling around India, back when I was in my 20s, I was able to see the making of traditional textiles and learn more about the crafts behind them. The hand work, the skill and the beauty in the fabrics is extraordinary. Nila is the culmination of that passion and learning; I wanted to establish a cultural centre of excellence to honour and preserve these natural dye and handloom traditions.”