Art of Adras
About Adras
The cotton fabrics used in Lanvo kaftans are not just textiles — they’re living expressions of a centuries-old tradition. Each piece of adras (a type of Uzbek ikat) is woven by hereditary artisans, following a twelve-step, fully hand-crafted process that has been passed down through generations.
Unlike printed or machine-woven patterns, the designs in adras are dyed into the threads before weaving — a technique known as ikat. This intricate resist-dye method requires extraordinary foresight and skill, as the artisans must carefully calculate how each coloured segment of thread will align to form the final pattern on the loom.
What Makes Adras Unique
Natural Dyes & Hand-Dyeing
Each thread is dyed by hand using natural pigments extracted from plants, flowers, roots, seeds, or minerals. Traditional dyeing cauldrons and wood-fired stoves are still used today, infusing the fabrics with depth, richness, and a slight variation in tone that cannot be replicated by machines.
Resist-Dye Precision
To create a single motif, threads are wrapped tightly with cotton or plant fiber to resist dye in certain sections — a technique repeated for every color in the pattern. This creates the signature blurred-edge aesthetic of ikat, known as the "abr" (cloud) effect.
Hand-Woven on Wooden Looms
Once dyed, the threads are aligned and woven by hand on traditional wooden looms, which are intentionally narrow — sometimes only 40 to 50 cm wide. This limited width is a hallmark of authentic adras and often requires multiple fabric panels to be joined in order to create a single garment. These joins are carefully aligned and hand-finished, preserving the flow of the pattern. This process can take several days to complete — for just one length of fabric.
Subtle Signs of Craftsmanship
Because of its handmade nature, adras fabric may exhibit small, beautiful irregularities that reflect its authenticity:
- Colour Variations – From batch to batch, or even within a single garment, slight shifts in tone and dots may appear.
- Densely Twisted Threads – You may spot thicker lines or raised segments, the result of hand-knotting during the resist-dyeing process.
These are not flaws — they are reminders that your kaftan was crafted, not mass-produced.
Caring for Your Adras Kaftan
Due to the use of natural dyes and the fabric’s artisanal delicacy, we recommend avoiding prolonged contact with rain, seawater, or harsh substances. To preserve its colour and character, dry cleaning is highly recommended.