Assignment 1
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Crasfrd-based case studies
Udit kushwaha Risabh Ghosh Pawni Gupta
RINGAL
Ringaal basketry is a popular craft in the Kumaon and
Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Made out of the
bamboo with the same name, it is generally weaved to
make objects of domestic use, like basket to carry
firewood, or as a storage container.
Ringal weaving is an age-old craft of Uttarakhand with
almost every family directly or indirectly involved in
ringal weaving work in the regions of Chamoli,
Bageshwar, Khalijhuri, Almora, Rudraprayag,
Joshimath and Pithoragarh.
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RINGAL - PROCESS
Ringal is preferred over bamboo because it has
greater resistance to water and therefore, will survive
longer in the snow-capped Himalayan region.
Generally, ringal is collected between October –
November from the forests. The barks are lightly
peeled and dried in the sun for 3 – 4 days and then cut
into 4 -12 parts as per the requirements (weaving or
crafting domestic implements). The whole ringal is
split into small strips with different lengths for warp
(lengthwise yarns) and weft (crosswise yarns) as per
the product requirement. The excess fibre of the ringal
splits is removed before the weaving commences
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RINGAL - PROCESS
The thick wide strips are placed to make the base and
the thinner strips are weaved by overlapping the base
strips. The sides are made by adding additional ringal
strips till the desired height is achieved. The rim is then
sandwiched with two thick ringal splits to interlock the
border.
The artisan creatively weaves dark and light ringal
strips to make unique designs. The finished product is
scraped to smoothen the edges.
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BHOTIA
Bhotia textiles, particularly from Uttarakhand, are
known for their traditional woollen handicrafts,
including carpets (dann, asan), blankets (thulma,
chutka), and shawls (pankhi, pakhi), often featuring
geometric and floral motifs.
The Bhotia people, a Tibetan nomadic community in
Uttarakhand's upper Himalayan regions, are renowned
for their woollen textile crafts. An ethno-linguistic
group of people, residing in the upper Himalayan
valleys of Kumaon and Garhwal regions of
Uttarakhand, the Bhotia community has relied on
sheep rearing for their livelihood for years. In fact, the
Bhotia Dann rugs or carpets are made from wool that
is sourced from their sheep rearing activity.
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TYPES OF BHOTIA TEXTILES
Carpet Blankets Shawls
Bhotia Dann Thulma and Chutka. Pankhi and Pakhi.
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BHOTIA
Motifs and Designs:
Bhotia textiles often feature stylized geometric motifs, floral and
dragon designs, reflecting the culture and history of the
community.
Materials:
Sheep wool and sometimes rabbit wool are used to create these
handicrafts.
Dyeing:
The Bhotia people used to dye their woolen products with natural
dyes obtained from various Himalayan plants.
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Examples of Bhotia textiles:
Natural dyed mufflers.
Hand knitted woolen sweaters,
socks, shawls, cardigans.
Chaukadi Towel
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THANK YOU
