The questions buyers actually send.

Turn it over. In real ikat the pattern is dyed into the yarn before weaving, so it reads clearly on both faces; a print has a pale, ghosted reverse. Motif edges are also softly feathered rather than machine-crisp. It is the fastest test there is, and we run it on every piece before listing.

No, and we would be cautious of anyone who does. No recognised body certifies handwoven Sumba cloth, so such a document carries only the seller’s own authority. What you get instead is a written description — technique, dye family, fibre, measured dimensions and weaving area — stated identically on the quotation, the invoice and the packing list.

Ask for business identity documents and check the entity name matches both the invoice and the bank account receiving payment. Request dated photographs of the actual goods rather than catalogue images. Then place a small paid sample order and watch how we communicate, pack and meet timing.

Rarely to a year, and we will not invent one. Visual dating gives a range: dye maturation, yarn character, wear patterns and construction narrow it, and we show that reasoning. Where age genuinely cannot be established, the record says undetermined.

We state it for every piece, in writing, rather than leaving it to be inferred from the colours. Natural indigo and morinda read slightly uneven and deepen where the yarn took more dye; synthetic reads flatter and more uniform. Both are legitimate — they are different products at different price points.

Quoted per piece or per order rather than from a fixed list, because cost is driven by finished size, yarn quality, motif complexity, the number of dye immersions and whether the dyes are natural or synthetic. A large naturally dyed hinggi and a small synthetically dyed runner sit far apart. Send a specification and you get an itemised quotation.

Because the cost is time. A single large hinggi can occupy a weaver for months, and the tying, dyeing, drying and weaving stages run in sequence — none can be rushed without damaging the pattern. A print skips all of it.

Yes, and it is substantial. Natural dye builds colour through repeated immersion cycles spread across months. Synthetic dyeing is a fraction of that time, which is why the same nominal size can differ widely in price.

No. Quotations separate product cost, packing and freight rather than bundling them, and the delivery terms state where responsibility transfers. Import duty and tax in your country are assessed by your own customs authority and are the receiving party’s responsibility — we cannot quote them on your behalf.

Volume tiers apply within a wholesale quotation, so the effect of ordering more depth is visible before you decide. They are calculated per enquiry against the actual mix rather than published as a rate card, because a ceremonial-grade panel and a decorative runner are different products.

Through direct enquiry rather than a basket, because each piece is unique and reserving it against your name prevents two buyers ordering the same cloth. Send what you need, we confirm availability, measurements, dye family and delivery cost in writing, and nothing is charged before that.

Format and quantity, size or meterage, colour direction and whether natural dye is a requirement, and the date you need the textiles in place. With those four you usually get availability and a costed answer first time.

Yes. Every reserved piece is photographed individually front and back in daylight, with a measuring tape visible in at least one frame. On request we also record a short video, which shows dye depth far better than a still.

Yes, and for a first order we recommend it. Samples are drawn from the same batch that would supply the order wherever depth allows, so what you assess is representative. Sample and courier costs are quoted up front.

Yes, planned at the warp stage because ikat is dyed before it is woven. Motif selection and layout are directed, and scale, colour and border are adapted — but ancestral and lineage imagery is better selected than redesigned, and we will say which motifs those are.

Yes, wherever a viable route exists and the destination permits import of handwoven cotton textiles. Import rules differ by market and change, so confirm your country’s requirements with a customs broker before ordering rather than relying on a seller’s assurance — including ours.

Express courier typically runs 3–5 business days internationally, standard courier 10–14 days to most destinations and 5–7 within South-East Asia, and domestic delivery within Indonesia 1–2 days. Those are carrier transit estimates only — customs clearance in your country is additional and is assessed by your own authority.

The receiving party. Duty, import tax and clearance charges in the destination country are assessed by your own customs authority, and your broker confirms the tariff classification that applies. Our responsibility is export documentation that matches the shipment exactly, which is what prevents most clearance problems.

Rolled around a core rather than folded, wrapped in breathable material rather than sealed plastic, and enclosed in a rigid carton or tube. Folding creates permanent creases and sealed plastic traps the humidity that causes mould marks. Cartons are numbered and cross-referenced to the packing list.

Report it immediately with photographs of the outer carton, the inner packing and the affected pieces before unpacking any further — carriers and insurers require evidence of packaging condition on arrival. We supply our packing records and pre-dispatch photographs to support the claim.

The standard minimum is 50 pieces, but it moves in both directions. Stock formats such as runners, cushion cuts and assortment cartons start lower because the loom setup already exists; a custom width or colourway needs a dedicated warp and therefore more. The applicable figure is stated with every quotation.

Buyers purchasing for resale or for a project rather than personal use — retail stores, interior studios, hospitality groups, distributors and online retailers holding inventory. It is the nature of the purchase, not a membership scheme.

Within a tolerance. Natural indigo and morinda are built through repeated dip-and-dry cycles, so lots dyed months apart differ slightly. The workable method is a retained reference piece plus an agreed range on both sides. Where absolute repeatability is essential, synthetic-dyed lots are the honest answer.

Stock lots are picked, checked and packed quickly. Commissioned lots follow the craft, and dyeing rather than weaving sets the pace — deep natural colour comes from immersion cycles spread over weeks. Book against your own deadline rather than your reorder point.

Yes: commercial invoice, packing list matched to the cartons piece for piece, and a certificate of origin where your destination or broker requires one. Transport documentation comes from the carrier or forwarder, and the import declaration from your own broker.

Naturally dyed handwoven cloth tolerates careful cold hand washing without soaking, no bleach, minimal wringing and drying in shade. Synthetic-dyed pieces are more forgiving but still should not go through a hot machine cycle. Wall panels and older collector pieces should not be washed at all.

Natural dyes shift under light, and no supplier can honestly promise otherwise. What you control is the rate: indirect light, no spotlight aimed at the cloth, and periodic rotation extend colour life considerably. Direct all-day sun will fade any natural dye.

Natural dyes release a little colour in early washes, especially morinda reds. That is normal plant-dye behaviour rather than a defect. Wash a new piece separately the first two or three times, and avoid resting damp naturally dyed cloth against pale upholstery.

Support the entire top edge using a sewn sleeve with a rigid rod, a padded stretcher, or a conservation frame with a spacer so the cloth never presses against glazing. Point fixings concentrate the weight and distort the weave within months.

For cushions, headboards and decorative panels, backed with a stable lining that carries the structural load. For seating with heavy daily use, discuss the application first so we can suggest a tighter weave and more robust dye. Handwoven cotton is durable but is not engineered to commercial contract upholstery standards.