Future plans
‘New Muslin’ weaver focussed on recreating the past glory.
‘One must have complete faith on the wheel. The first pass will produce 200 count. The second pass will produce 300 count. To produce enough 500 count yarn for one sari, it easily takes three to four months …’
– Joytish Debnath, Master Spinner, Murshidabad, India
It is a story that needs to be reiterated and an art that has to be revived. Muslin was a wondrous textile that had enchanted the globe, from cotton grown by our farmers, which had been spun and woven into the hearts of royalty and the pinnacle of fashion by the women and men of East Bengal. Every opportunity to educate an audience through the book, film, graphic novel and discussions/interviews/social media has been, and will continue to be taken. Support will be extended to all those who wish to spread the message.
Spreading the Story
Every opportunity will be undertaken to educate an audience through the book, film, graphic novel and discussions/interviews/social media.
Cultivating Cotton
The original cotton plant ‘phuti karpas’ cannot be traced and specimens in herbariums cannot be revived. However, the project is researching cotton plants that are the closest in characteristics, yield, and nature to the original plant. Samples have been grown and their cotton included in the yarn brought from India.
Process Development
The passage of time has resulted in the loss of weavers and spinners skilled in manufacturing this fabric. Bengal Muslin has stepped into this vacuum on a small scale by training, developing and nurturing a new generation of spinners and weavers who are able to replicate the entire process of producing the legendary muslin.
Sharing Knowledge
This website is the first step on creating a knowledge platform on muslin. As our information on muslin grows, it will include and store all the information collected for easy access by individual and institutional researchers, a platform that will include books, journals, articles, expert opinions, professional write-ups, audio-visual content plus research papers.
Bringing Markets
Muslin was ‘a global brand’ that dominated world trade for centuries and demand always outstripped supply. The value of this brand has to be retained while muslin’s uniqueness needs to be reinstated in international markets. This also includes informing consumers on the current multiple imitations in the market, pointing out that all fine cotton, silk or any combination of these is not muslin. Bengal Muslin intends to introduce the cloth for both traditional (i.e. saris) and modern (i.e. dress) attire.
