Kannur handloom: where our bedsheets come from

Our handloom check bedsheets come from Kannur, about 90 km north of Kozhikode, where cotton has been woven on handlooms for generations. Customers driving up the coast often ask where to see it, so here is a little of the story and some care advice.

The weaving societies around Kannur and Chirakkal mostly weave on frame looms in long, airy sheds. A bedsheet in our check pattern needs the warp to be set up with coloured stripes before weaving begins, a job that takes two people most of a day. The weaver then throws the weft across, changing the shuttle for each colour band to make the check. One weaver makes about two double bedsheets a day. Rajan, who weaves our blue and white sheets, has worked at the same loom for 26 years.

The cloth is a firm cotton, about 140 threads per inch, cool to sleep on and heavy enough to stay put on the mattress. Our set has a double bedsheet of 230 by 270 cm and two pillow covers for ₹2,450.

Wash new handloom sheets separately for the first two washes, in cold water, as some of the colour may run slightly. Dry them in the shade to keep the colours bright, and iron while slightly damp for a crisp finish. They soften with every wash and, looked after, last many years. If you visit Kannur, the weaving societies often have small sale counters, and you can watch the looms through the open windows.