Naga Backstrap-Woven Runner Tangerine and Black

The backstrap loom weavers of Nagaland's Himalayan foothills work in a tradition that predates colonial contact. The loin loom is attached to the weaver's waist, tension is embodied, every thread a physical negotiation between the weaver and the warp. This tangerine and black runner is handwoven in 100% mercerised cotton with azo-free dyes, the symbolic motifs drawn from the tribal vocabulary of the specific Naga community that made it.

Tangerine is not an easy color to use on a table, it demands that the table meet it. This handcrafted runner, woven by tribal women weavers in the Himalayan foothills of Nagaland using a backstrap loom, earns the authority of that color through the specificity of its motifs. The patterns are not decorative abstractions, they are the symbolic vocabulary of a particular tribe, handed down through the women who weave and encoded into the cloth itself.

The mercerised cotton has a low sheen that gives the tangerine warmth rather than brightness. The black grounds it. Together, on a dark table or a light one, the combination is unambiguous: this handmade, artisanal object came from somewhere, made by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. That knowledge shows.

Backstrap Loom Weave · Nagaland · Mercerised Cotton · Azo-Free Dyes

Care Instructions

• Machine wash cold, gentle cycle.
• Do not bleach. Line dry or tumble dry low.
• Iron on medium while slightly damp.
• Wash separately first two washes.