Maku was founded in 2011 by Santanu Das, a conceptual artist who trained at the prestigious National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. The word ‘Maku’ means ‘weaving shuttle’ in Bengali and is the essence of the Maku brand – using only hand spun and hand woven cloth and working with masters of these traditional techniques. A single colour palette, the rich and versatile Indigo , the brand is a quiet, stylish and ever wearable collection that showcases all the shades of the dye from the palest blue through to black.
Maku designs are made from traditional hand-woven jamdani and Tangail fabrics - inlay brocade on fine cotton muslin, each of which is specific to the region in which it was produced, from the texture to the motif. When Maku began the revival of Tangail weaving around seven years ago, they worked with just five families in West Bengal who still practised the art. Today the label works with around 100 weavers and they are considered Maku’s greatest strength.
“Sustainability is not just to do with clothes. It is a lifestyle that must be adopted. As a movement though, it is still growing, but in a way, it has turned into a fad. The point of sustainability is not to overtake fast fashion. It is to inspire other business models to produce in a better way.”
The use of traditional dyeing is also central to Maku’s elegant designs and the commitment to a limited palette of indigo and white encourages a strong focus on the delicate fabrics and an appreciation of the variations and individualities created by indigo dyeing. The restrained colour palette also serves to limit choice for the customer as Maku believe that being flooded with an excess of choice is making us increasingly intolerant to our surroundings.
Adding to the values of Maku is their sensitivity and commitment to the environment. Recycling waste and following sustainable and ethical practices.
