Blue & White Indian Stylized Birds Oversize Cashmere-Blend Scarf from The Met Museum

The stylized birds and flowers on our luxurious scarf come from a blue-resist panel (mid-18th century) in the Museum’s collection, probably made in India for the American market. Resist-dyed textiles-typically created by applying a dye-resistant substance such as wax to a pattern and then placing the fabric in a dye bath, or by carefully folding the cloth to control where the dye transfers-were commonly used in the United States as bed hangings and quilts. These fabrics were formerly thought to be the earliest American-made printed textiles, but subsequent evidence suggests that they were more likely commissioned from Indian artisans by the East India Company.