Kota Doria Dress Material Ivory Red Floral Jaal

This cotton dress material is hand block printed in Kaithoon near Kota Rajasthan The warm ivory ground is the airy khat weave the square check of cotton and silk threads that marks authentic Kota Doria and the top fabric is covered in a dense rose and vine floral jaal in rust red with grey green foliage The matching dupatta repeats the trailing jaal and finishes with a floral buti border On a closely worked jaal the easiest way to read the hand is to turn the fabric over each rose and leaf is pressed from a carved block so the rust dye carries clean through to the reverse instead of sitting on the surface Trace the winding vines and you will catch the tells of block printing a faint shift where one impression meets the next a few motifs slightly heavier than their neighbours outlines that feather into the open grid Against the light the khat squares are subtly irregular the silk catching a soft sheen A digital or screen mill print would be uniform surface only and blank on the back Kota Doria holds a GI tag and a deep Kaithoon weaving lineage the fine yarn is sized with rice starch and onion juice to survive the loom which is why a fresh length feels crisp and then settles into a soft breathable fall after its first wash Made up into a kurta with the dupatta draped over the ivory and rust jaal feels festive yet easy suited to a daytime wedding a festival visit or a celebratory workday and light enough to stay comfortable through a long warm afternoon