Tied by Hand: Bandhani at Abho

Bandhani is one of the oldest textile traditions in India — a tie-and-dye technique practiced for generations, especially across Rajasthan and Gujarat. At Abho, we’re drawn to its irregular beauty, the way each dot is slightly different, slightly imperfect — a quiet signature of the hand that made it.

Created by tightly tying sections of fabric with thread before dyeing, Bandhani forms patterns of dots, waves, and grids that appear almost weightless. What we love most is how subtle it can be — how it whispers rather than shouts.

We love the texture that appears once the tied dots are opened after dyeing — the gentle puckering that gives Bandhani its character. So to keep it intact, we take the time to pin down each dot in place with small stitches on a second layer of fabric, so that it  holds onto its shape, and its story.

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In our collection, Bandhani appears not as a surface highlight but as part of the form itself — placed gently along seams, side panels, or edges. It’s our way of holding onto tradition without being bound by it.

Each dot is a mark of time, rhythm, and memory — soft signs of something made slowly, with care.