About

All Ochre Wild rugs are made entirely by hand, from the yarn-making and dying to the intricate weaving, through to the finishing. They use the same rich variety of fibres and natural dyes for both their Indo-Tibetan and flat-weave Dhurrie rugs.

In the fertile planes of the Eastern Ganga river basin, where Ochre rugs are made, the traditions of hand-dying and making are very much alive. Abundant flora and fauna – turmeric, marigold, madder, hilika, lac, indigo and pomegranate – are harvested to provide the source of dyes. The intensity of hue is guided not only by concentration and time but is also influenced by the season, by climatic conditions and propagation. The array of hand-spun yarns, namely hemp, ramie, jute, linen, and wild ghicha silk, are grown using organic pesticide and chemical fertiliser-free methods.

The pre-mordanting treatment of the fibres is essential for the fixing of the dye to the yarns, so in the hands and eyes of the master dyers Ochre works with, using age-old recipes, the process is endlessly fine-tuned and adjusted to achieve the astonishing spectrum of Ochre Wild colour. Good natural dye has a luminescence and radiance that achieves an unbeatable vibrancy and nuance that is unmatched by synthetics. The unpredictable process is intensely collaborative, with weavers working with dyers and spinners to achieve excellence.