How to Identify an Authentic Hand Block Print Cushion Cover

One of the most beautiful things about a block print cushion cover is that it is a piece of art that is made to last forever. How do you determine that a piece is really hand-block printed and not just machine-made with a block-like pattern? We discuss the signs and wonderful details that help you recognize a hand-block print product.

1. Look for Imperfections — and Celebrate Them

As strange as it may sound, with hand block print, imperfections are considered good things. A hand block-printed fabric will not have the perfectly identical repeats or the machine-precise alignment. You might come across slight variations in spacing, color density, or even small misalignments – and that’s the exact reason these are the points that demonstrate the usage of the hand technique. These so-called “flaws” are the factor that shows that this textile was made by human hands and not by a machine.

2. Feel the Texture

An authentic hand block print is a fabric printed with natural dyes on natural fabrics, and most of the time, the fabric also sounds the same. For instance, a pure cotton block-printed cushion cover will not only be soft and airy, but it will also have a certain weight to it. When you touch the fabric surface with your fingers, you may find some small textural differences where the fabric has taken the dye. This is the beauty of it, a sensory memory of the point where the color was manually applied.

3. Examine the Colors Up Close

Typically, hand block printing is done with natural or hand-mixed dyes. The colors, as a rule, have depth and are richer than those which can be easily reproduced by inexpensive flat machine prints. With original items, you will frequently find a few tonal differences within one color, i.e., the light and the dark areas, which make the pattern more alive.

4. Check the Back of the Fabric

Turn the cotton cushion cover inside out and see what the back looks like. A cover that is machine-printed may have the print on the back almost as vividly as on the front. However, if the cover is hand block printed, the backside color may be less bright or even a little blurry. This is because the color agent actually seeps through the textile when the wooden block is pressed on it. Therefore, most of the artisans accept this as their quality.

5. Pay Attention to the Design

The themes of the hand block print designs are mostly derived from nature, heritage, and traditional motifs – florals, paisleys, geometrics, and many more. Besides the motifs, you should also focus on the borders of the design. The border of a design on a genuine hand block print cushion cover may have a little “bleed” or a soft edge where the fabric was dyed. The outlines of machine-printed drawings are generally very neat and exact without any slight transitions like human ones.

6. Ask About the Craftsmanship

You are purchasing the product locally, so find out more from the seller about the place and the manner in which the cushion covers were made. Most of the time, the artists who create their fabrics through hand-blocking are extremely confident in their work and are willing to talk with you about their dyes, their blocks, and even their inspirations. Reputable sellers, when you shop online, also give you a chance to read this story in the product details.

In Conclusion: Authenticity Is in the Details

In short, an authentic cotton cushion cover is not flawless — and that is what makes it so unique. Searching for the differences in color and pattern, feeling the texture of the cotton, and using your eyes and fingers are ways to guide you. Those cushion covers are not only the decorating elements of your home, but they are also carriers of the craft and the character of the past ‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌centuries.