We wish to call the attention of interested Members to the excerpted part of an email of which we were recently in receipt and a blog posting; both on the subject of the current manufacture/availability of hand-loomed, vegetable-dyed, "bleeding" Madras. Comments, etc. are invited - esp. from knowledgeable Members, although all comments will be regarded as meritorious - in our own quest to source the "real McCoy." The email was from K. Sudarsann/Deputy Manager (Technical)/Handicrafts and Heirlooms Export Corporation of India in Chennai maintains - for the reasons cited - that it isn't. The other - the blog posting - is from the website of Leith, shirtmakers in London (UK). They say it is being manufactured in the Chennai area. Would any Members be knowledgeable as to the company referred to by Leith, for instance? Thanks
HHEC: "The bleeding madras check were exported huge volume 30 years back. We were using direct dyes for these fabrics and now days due to health hazards, these dyestuff is banned and now vat colours/porcine colours are used, which is fast colours and will not bleed. However few of our customers are importing madras check washed look fabrics..."
Leith: "We design and manufacture our own fabric because we think that's the best way to produce interesting, high quality clothing. Our Madras is handcrafted for us by a small company based near Chennai, India. They are among the foremost experts on traditional Indian vegetable dyeing techniques and have been working to refine the process for several decades. The yarn is woven on a Victorian Selvedge loom to produce a light, strong fabric with a soft hand.Vegetable dyeing is slow - some stages can take over a month - but it produces a complexity and depth of colour that is unobtainable with synthetic dyes. As the dyes are natural there is none of the pollution associated with industrial dyeing, rather the byproducts from our dyeing process are turned into compost and the waste water is used on crops."
O'Connells offered old stock bleeding Madras shirts a while ago.
It did not bleed though. Whether this was because dyes became fixed with the passage of time, or because it was not genuine in the first place I do not know.
With The old bleeding madras shirts from the 60s the dye came pouring out on the first wash.
"We" is "Me." I'm attempting to source "bleeding" Madras as a retail customer out of which to have shorts (like "Bermuda") esp. fashioned; but, shirts, too. Although my prime interest is in shorts. Made some posts on India Mike - out of Chennai (Madras), India (if I'm not mistaken). Interesting replies, esp. by one resident. It's easier to find those by using a search engine using the terms "India Mike" and " 'bleeding' Madras." "We" are also informed from responses to a similar post on Ask Andy that the Gadag Heirlooms Cluster was weaving the Real McCoy, at least several years ago according to the responder.
Last edited by aucociscokid2 (2014-04-17 01:35:03)
We, that is me, have no substantive information with respect to the questions presented, but wish to express our (again, it's just me) hope that you (plural, but really singular) find what you are looking for from them (i.e., the universe).
Thank you in advance for considering one of our posts "meritorious". We once were told our example set while in the service of our country was meritorious. We are in possession of documentation to that effect. That statement was followed by an order reducing us in rank and confined to our quarters for 30 days. We do hope the results in this instant instance are kinder to us.
Yours (plural) etc.,
JR, a/k/a Bennett St. Leger
This is spam surely Seems like it's trying to lead traffic to India Mike.
I retract my statement, seems someone is actually looking for bleeding Madras.
lulz.
Well sucks for us that got banned from Andyland unless we get thrown a bone here.
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?188906-quot-Bleeding-quot-Madras-Cloth-Being-Offered
WTF happened. LL action? Did Alden take over Andyland?
Can someone copy and paste I dont have another posts to read the thread
Last edited by Madras_Seersucker (2014-05-19 16:20:16)
Last edited by chatsworth osborne jr. (2014-05-19 17:58:47)
I think this guy is either representing an existing company or is really considering importing. There are a few companies offering 500 meter minimums of alibaba.com. And when I was looking for the ties I wanted to make there was one company who would do 50 meter minimum orders straight from India. Trouble is with all the promises of the bleeding fabric being produced it never actually materialised (pardon the pun) Fortunately I had not paid anything.
Maybe Im missing something but Im not sure why it is a more involved process producing it than fast dyed madras. Maybe the vegetable dyes are more expensive. But after that Im guessing it is produced the same way?
Bop is on Repeat
Bop is on Repeat
Bop is on Repeat
Bop is on Repeat
Bop is on Repeat
Bop is on Repeat
And now Im not and I havent deleted. I think the Internet is broken again
It happened!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/251539692/authentic-bleeding-madras
Last edited by chatsworth osborne jr. (2015-10-12 05:24:53)
The links have been changed to:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2516090..._home_active_1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2516077...-shop-header-1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2516073...-shop-header-2
Thanks, Steve Franken.
At the risk of starting up the whole WI seamstress debate again what would you do with the material if you buy it
Does anyone know of a place that will knock up a shirt if you give them the material ?
All the links seem to be broken.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LoominousMadras?ref=unav_listing-r