Puanchei Products

Puanchei motifs beautifully translated onto traditional and contemporary products

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Puanchei (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Traditional Wraparounds

Traditionally, the woven puan cloth was meant to be worn as a wraparound by both men and women alike. Most products are made for the family’s own use but with increasing interest in handlooms and recognition of the diversity of cultural expressions in the Indian textile sector, woven puan cloth is now available in many shops in Aizawl both for local customers who do not indulge in much weaving at home, as well as visitors who collect textiles and like to present them as gifts. They can also be tailored into other items of clothing.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Puan woven on the loin loom (2019-06-24) by LalchhanhimiDastkari Haat Samiti

A puan cloth woven by Lalchhanhimi, the loin loom weaver, on the lion loom with 'Siniar' motif design.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Heirloom Puan cloth (2019-06-24)Dastkari Haat Samiti

An heirloom puan handed down in the family of K Lalmuanpuii, who has set up this weaving enterprise.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Puan woven on the loin loom (2019-06-24)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A puan cloth woven on the lion loom with 'Siniar' motif design border on a different color woven stripe than the main body.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Puan woven on the loin loom (2019-06-24) by LalchhanhimiDastkari Haat Samiti

A puan cloth woven on the lion loom with 'Siniar' motif design in two types - the zig zag and the diamond shapes.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Puanchei (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Local women wearing different designs of the Puanchei wraparound woven on loin and frame looms.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Puanchei (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Local women wearing different designs of the Puanchei wraparound with the thread work as a vertical center stripe on an otherwise plain cloth.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Menswear (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The cloth woven on the looms are made into tailored shirts and ties for men.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Table runner (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Table runners

While traditionally, the woven puan cloth was meant to be worn as a wraparound by both men and women alike, contemporary products have diversified the product range available to local and tourist customers in Aizawl. These include home linen, and other miscellaneous accessories. The motifs of Puanchei are translated beautifully onto items like table runners.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Table runner (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Table runner woven in double thread work plain weave with a Siniar motif.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Table runner (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Table runner woven in double thread work two color weave with a Siniar motif.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Table runner (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Table runner woven in double thread work two color weave with a Siniar motif.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Table runner (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Table runner woven in double thread work two colour weave with a Siniar motif, with a wider cloth with an additional border running along the length.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Bada Bazaar cloth market (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Puanchei Motifs

The wraparounds are still the most widely woven product, sporting various traditional motifs and designs like the Lenbuangthuan, Kawkpuizikzial, Siniar, Sakri zangzia, Tawlhloh, and various types of floral ones.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Bada Bazaar cloth market (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A variety of intricate with motifs all over or simple ones with plain weaving and a simple motif border are sold at the main market in Aizawl.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Siniar motif: A traditional motif made up of triangles, zig-zag, and diamond shapes.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar and Floral Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A combination of a Siniar motif made up of diamonds combined with a floral pattern made through plain woven puan.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Floral Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Floral motif is usually organic made up of different kinds of flowers like roses or tulips or peonies.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A traditional Siniar motif made up of taller zig-zag pattern on the body of the cloth and a diamond Siniar motif used on the border made up of bands of contrasting colours.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar and Floral Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A combination of a Siniar motif made up of diamonds combined with a butterfly pattern in made through plain woven puan.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A traditional Siniar motif made up of triangles, zig-zag, and diamond shapes.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A plain woven cloth with a band of contrasting border divided into different types of Siniar motifs.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Hruih, Lenbuangthuan, Sakri zangzia (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Puanchei made up of combination of motifs: Hruih which is a plain black stripe, Lenbuangthuan which is two or four triangles, and the Sakri zangzia which is representative of the back of a tiger.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Hruih, Lenbuangthuan, Sakri zangzia (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Puanchei made up of combination of motifs: Hruih which is a plain black stripe, Lenbuangthuan which is two or four triangles, and the Sakri zangzia which is representative of the back of a tiger.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A traditional Siniar motif with alternating rows of large and small diamonds woven through bands of contrasting colours.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar and Floral Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A combination of a Siniar motif made up of diamonds combined with a small floral pattern made through bands of plain woven puan.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Siniar and Sakri zangzia Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A traditional white puan with multicolored Siniar motifs made up of diamond shapes alternating with the Sakri zangzia which is representative of the back of a tiger.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Kawkpuizikzial Motif (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The Kawkpuizikzial Motif, a motif made to represent entwined plants. Kawk in the local language means leafy vegetable.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Tawlhloh pattern (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Tawlhloh means no looking back in the local language and is a black puan with white, red and yellow stripes, sometimes green and blue ones.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Mruih pattern (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A puan with a white base and black stripes.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Cushion covers (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Cushions Covers Made of Puan Cloth

Cushion covers are also made from the cloth woven by the weavers. Cloths with various motifs like Lenbuangthuan and Siniar are used to make cushions and add a kind of charm to them. The leftover thread from weaving adds a decorative element to this range of home linen.

The thread work of the weaving here has the ends on the front of the weaving instead of tying up at the back and made into tassels.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Cushion covers (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Cushion covers in more muted tones. The black on white to suit contemporary tastes.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Cushion cover and Tablecloth (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Cushion cover with the Lenbuangthuan motif and a Tablecloth with the Siniar motif.

Puanchei: Backstrap weaving of Mizoram: Bada Bazaar cloth market (2019-06-25)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Read more about Puanchei, backstrap weaving of Mizoram here:
-The Community of Puan Cloth Weavers
-Process

Market for Puanchei
Credits: Story

Text: Jaya Jaitly, Jui Tawade
Photography: Chirodeep Chaudhuri
Artisans: Loin loom- Lalchhanhimi
Frame looms- Thanga, Mawipuii, Sangi, Sangliani, Tauhtauhi, Ruatruati, Chhawnvunga, Neihpuia, Sawhmuka, Lianpuii, Mawizuali, Momokhai, Minipuii, Mawitei
Ground Facilitator: K. Lalmuanpuii, Jui Tawade
Documentary Video: Chirodeep Chaudhuri
Curation: Ruchira Verma

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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