About Graymarket

 

 

Graymarket Design is a textile company rooted in modern design, casual but high quality products and ethical production. We collaborate with a team of artisans in Jaipur, India, to have our original, hand-drawn designs printed in small batches, and work very closely with our team there throughout the year to develop fresh and beautiful products for your life and home.

 

Hallie Gray started Graymarket in 2013 after studying textile design and becoming fascinated with the hand-crafted textiles she encountered on travels throughout India. She is inspired by a minimal aesthetic, rich color stories grounded in neutrals and the beautiful imperfections inherent in hand-crafted textile traditions.

 

 

The Process:

There are many steps (and hands) involved in the creation of our products. The process looks a bit like this:

-Each design begins with a hand drawn sketch, that is then put into repeat and fitted with a color way, using Pantone swatches both Hallie and the artisans have for reference

-The design is carved into a teak wood block by a master carver in Jaipur

-The cotton is sourced and hand dyed by a local dye master 

-The water-based printing dyes are mixed and and kind of stamp pad for the wood block is made.

-The cotton is stretched over a long table and pinned for printing.

-The design is then hand-block printed by a team of two artisans. One artisan goes down the table printing, and the other artisan repositions and maintains the stamp pad as they move.

-The printed cotton is hung to air dry in the sun in the courtyard of the workshop. This exposure to bright sun is vital in the printing process, and helps the dyes fully develop.

-The dried printed cotton is then washed and softened in large troughs at the workshop. 

-The finished pieces are then sewn, quality checked and sent to our studio in Louisville!