Keseriya makes hand block printed table linens in small batches in Rajasthan, India. Our first collection, the Amer Collection, is printed on 100% cotton with hand-carved wooden blocks by artisans near Jaipur. The patterns and colors come from Amer Fort, built in 1592. Every piece is printed by hand, so no two are exactly alike. This is what block printing looks like when it is done the slow way, and it is the story of how we got here.

What is hand block printing?

Hand block printing is a textile craft where a carved wooden block is dipped in dye and pressed onto cloth by hand, one press at a time. It has been practiced in Rajasthan for centuries, in towns like Sanganer and Bagru near Jaipur.

It starts with the block. A woodcarver traces a design onto dense teak, then chisels out the pattern and sets fine perforations by hand. A single multi-color design needs a separate block for each color.

In the workshops around Jaipur, dyers mix the colors by hand to reach the exact shade. The printer dips the block in the dye tray, lines it up by eye on a long table of stretched cotton, and strikes it with the heel of the hand. Press, re-ink, repeat. One piece of cloth can take hundreds of strikes and several passes to layer the colors.

The cloth is then washed, dried in the sun, and steamed to set the dye into the fiber.

Because every step is done by hand, small variations show up. The dye sits deeper in one spot and lighter in another. No two pieces come out the same. That variation is the mark of a hand, not a flaw.

This is the craft behind every Keseriya piece.

Where the patterns come from: Amer Fort

Our first collection started with a fort.

Amer Fort sits on a hill outside Jaipur. Raja Man Singh I began building it in 1592. The walls are red sandstone and white marble, cut into jali, the carved stone screens that let in light and air.

Climb through the fort to the private palaces and you reach Ganesh Pol. It was added in the 1600s. The facade is painted in saffron, green, and ivory. The pigments were mixed by hand, and the colors have been kept up ever since.

Those three colors run through our napkins.

What is in the Amer Collection

I translated the fort into pieces you use at the table.

●        Tablecloth and reversible runner. The lattice patterns come from the jali screens, in sage, cream, and saffron gold.

●        Placemats. The texture echoes the worn stone path that climbs to the fort gates.

●        Hand block printed napkins. Ivory cotton framed by a double border in saffron gold and cream.

●        Hand-dyed napkins. Small-batch celadon cotton, hand-dyed to match the jade tones of Ganesh Pol, finished with a hemstitch border.

●        Amer tea towel. Celadon, ivory, and saffron gold stripes with a floral band. Use it to line a bread basket, drape over a cheese board, or wrap a bottle of wine.

This is luxury made to be used, not saved for good.

How each piece is made

Every piece is printed on 100% cotton with hand-carved wooden blocks. The work is done by artisans I know by name. Sachin, Pandit, and Raju print in workshops in Jaipur. The rhythm is simple. Press. Re-ink. Repeat.

No two pieces come out the same. The color sits a little deeper in one spot and a little lighter in another. That is not a flaw. It is the mark of a hand.

How to care for hand block printed linens

Block printed cotton is made to be used and washed. A few simple steps keep the colors deep and the cloth soft.

●        Wash cold on a gentle cycle. For the first few washes, wash separately, since natural dyes can release a little color.

●        Use a mild detergent. Skip bleach and harsh stain removers.

●        Line dry, or tumble dry on low.

●        Iron while slightly damp to bring back a crisp finish.

Used and washed this way, the linens soften and settle over time.

Why we make small batches

We release in small batches. Block printing takes time, and we do not rush it. Small runs also mean less waste and less unsold stock.

These are linens for the days that matter. A long dinner. A full table. The moments you slow down for.

Frequently asked questions

Are hand block printed linens machine washable?

Yes. Wash cold on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Wash them separately for the first few washes, skip bleach, and line dry or tumble dry on low.

Why is no two pieces exactly alike?

Each block is inked and pressed by hand. The dye lands a little differently on every pass, so slight variation is normal. It is the signature of a handmade print.

What is the Amer Collection made from?

100% cotton, printed with hand-carved wooden blocks by artisans near Jaipur, Rajasthan.

What is the difference between block printing and screen printing?

Block printing presses a carved wooden block onto cloth by hand, one color and one press at a time. Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh screen, usually by machine, at higher speed. Block printing is slower and shows small, natural variations.

Made by people, for people.

Explore the Amer Collection: Amer Collection | Hand Block Printed Table Linens | Keseriya