
GHALAMKAR
The name ‘Ghalamkar’ refers to the Persian hand-printing technique that is applied on cotton fabrics to obtain mystic and floral patterns.
About the technique: First the pattern blocks are carved into wooden stamps made of pear wood; the stamps are then used to imprint the fabrics for numerous times according to the dimensions of the fabrics and the density of the pattern.
The colors of the patterns are all natural, and the different shades are created through the combination of three primary colors: yellow, blue and red.
To stabilize the designs, the printed fabrics are steamed for at least an hour and then soaked in the riverbed, where there is great amount of running water.
Afterwards, the fabrics are boiled in large copper vessels containing stabilizers and in some cases pomegranate skin to generate a creamy background for the patterns. The fabrics then go through another round of washing and are left to dry under the sun in the open air.