Deep in the heart of Rajasthani culture is a traditional craft that requires precision, patience, and stamina. Generally produced by male artisans and passed down through generations, woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, patterns, or images onto paper and textiles and is said to have been around since before 220 AD.  This old craft is done by hand carving wooden blocks to create a specific set of patterns or drawings.  For each of the colors selected for a design, a unique block must be carved and with painstaking precision, the group of blocks must be matched up carefully in order to print consistently on the cloth or textile.  In order to produce a final design, this difficult work requires matching up blocks with only the naked eye!  

 

Over the past ten years International Yoga has lead over 25 yoga retreats to various regions throughout India and subsequently, the relationship with our team there run quite deep.  When it came time to begin building the vision for International Yoga’s next ten years, and find another new way to show gratitude to all yogis who choose to travel with the organization, drawing on the beauty of Indian culture and the brilliant and sweet contacts in the country made more than sense, but sparked inspiration. 

 

Thanks to Sapna Mehra, our expert guide in Jaipur, and the families from the block printing centers of Rajasthan, International Yoga is bringing one of a kind, beautifully hand-crafted and uniquely designed tote bags to the 2019 yoga retreats.  Participants will arrive to their gorgeous destinations to find these new bespoke bags alongside their itineraries. 

 

International Yoga incorporates the love of design and culture into every decision it makes for the brand, relationships, and retreats.  Carefully and responsibly sourcing beautiful textiles for the IY community is integral to the ethos of the organization, as International Yoga loves to constantly invest where retreats are held and give back all the time.  Enjoy the new bags and for a closer look, watch this short video of the International Yoga 10 year anniversary bags being made.