History of Bandhani or Indian Tie & Dye Technique

The history of dyeing can be dated back to pre-historic times. This art finds its mentions in the Alexander the great time texts about the beautiful printed cottons of India. As per evidences in Historical Texts, the first Bandhani saree was worn at the time of Bana Bhatt`s Harshacharita in a royal marriage. It was believed that wearing a Bandhani saree can bring good future to a bride. The dyers have experimented with the use of different elements both natural and man made for ages. Also there are experiments with different binding/tying techniques to create patterns on cloth immersed in containers of dye. Different types of tie and dyes have been practiced in India, Japan, and Africa for centuries. Tie-dye became fully developed in China during the T`ang dynasty (618-906 A.D.) and in Japan during the Nara period (552-794 A.D.)

Tie-dye boomed back into popularity in the late 1960s. Celebrities like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia who were part of the subculture were partially responsible for bringing the look back to life. At EastEssence we pride ourselves in introducing the unique and ethnic techniques on modern silhouettes.

"I was so excited to see tie dye items on your site. It’s a popular item here in Nigeria. I couldn’t wait to tell my whole family about it. Even my son was excited for me!" - Customer from Nigeria

East Essence’s tie-dye collection is made with vegetable organic dyes one piece at a time and carries an array of tunics, skirts, hijabs. Each piece is made to order and then hand dyed in our labs. No two pieces will look alike because of the dye process. It takes 2-3 days to complete the process from sewing to dying & finishing. Finally, it is packaged and shipped to your doorstep for an unbeatable price!

Shop our collection here.