To buy block-printed fabric wholesale from India, choose the base cloth, the print method and the colours, then order a sample metre before committing to bulk. Hand block printing uses carved wooden blocks stamped on cloth, so each metre varies slightly, which is part of its appeal.
Block print fabric in India comes from many centres, and Gujarat has block-printing in Kutch and elsewhere. Boutiques that import block print fabric to France need to think about labelling and chemical rules as well as design.
Hand block or screen print?
Many sellers describe screen-printed cloth as block print. The difference matters for price and story. Hand block versus screen-printed home textiles and the hand block printing process explain how to tell them apart.
Hand blocks leave small gaps and overlaps at the join of each stamp. Screen prints repeat precisely. Ask the supplier to state the method in writing, and to name the dyes used.
How do you buy block print by the metre?
Follow these steps.
- Choose a base cloth, such as cotton voile, cotton cambric, linen or silk, and fix width and weight.
- Choose a design or have one developed, and agree colourways with a reference.
- Order a sample metre in each colourway and wash it before you approve.
- Agree a bulk quantity per design and colour, and the delivery window.
- Agree how rejects, off-shade lengths and short lengths are handled.
What should EU and French boutiques check?
Textile products sold in the EU must meet fibre-content labelling rules under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, and chemicals in textiles fall under REACH. Azo dyes that release certain aromatic amines are restricted. Your obligations depend on what you sell, so confirm them with your customs broker or a national authority. See the EU textile labelling regulation and azo dyes and the EU restriction.
Ask the supplier for a test report on azo dyes and formaldehyde for the production lot. Check that the report comes from an accredited laboratory.
How do you control consistency?
Hand work brings variation between lots and between dyers. Read handmade textile batch consistency before you promise a customer an exact colour. Keep a sealed reference and ask the printer to match it, within a tolerance you agree.
Prices depend on the cloth, number of colours and quantity. We do not publish figures. A real quote needs your design.
How is block-printed fabric packed and shipped?
Fabric is usually rolled or folded in lengths, wrapped in polythene and packed in cartons or bales. Ask for the length of each piece to be stated on a label, and keep the same print and colour together. Protect rolls from damp, since block prints can bleed if they become wet in transit.
Agree a tolerance on length per piece, and decide how short lengths are charged or accepted. Retail buyers often want long uncut pieces, and the supplier needs to know before printing starts.
Next step
We find block printers that suit your cloth and volume, check samples and test reports, and supervise packing and loading. To start, book a free sourcing review.