Turquoise White and Green Leaf Print Cotton Caftan, "Haven of Leaves"

"Hi friends! I am Aftab, from the “Pink City” of India, Jaipur. I am a very hardworking and honest person of strong determination.

“I come from a small village near Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. Since my childhood days, I have been amazed by the beauty of hand block-printed patterns. My father does amazing hand block printing and I grew up watching this art in the back yard of our house. As I grew up, my father taught me these techniques. With observation and practice, I learned this craft.

“Once I mastered this art, I came to Jaipur and joined an art and handicraft workshop, owned by Mr Raju Rawat and Chaitanya Rawat. Ever since I joined this company, there was no looking back. This workshop was established in the year 1974, and it has grown in magnitude and experience.

“I am a part of a team of hand block printers. We all work together to achieve our goal of making beautiful designs. We all have our own part in making the designs. At times there are situations and moments that are difficult, especially when it comes to the weather. But still we manage to achieve our dreams.

“We work as a family that strives toward attaining our goals with proficiency and dedication, and we keep client satisfaction as our utmost priority. We believe that long-term success requires complete commitment to performance and productivity with a willingness to embrace new ideas and learn continuously. We have participated in many international and national fairs, such as WHO'S NEXT, IIGF and VASTRA.

“We generally use wooden blocks carved with the desired designs, which are then used for printing with dyes. I am very enthusiastic about my work. When I was with my family, I taught my younger brother the art of hand block printing. Now I also teach my co workers--whoever is keen to learn this art.

“I am grateful for the owners of this company who have allowed me to exhibit my talent for a community of art lovers. My dream is to start my own workshop someday, where I can teach a lot of people who love this art, preserving its beauty.”