Grey Palm Safari Reversible Hand Block Printed Mulmul Cotton Baby Dohar (40x60 in)

A reversible baby dohar in fine mulmul cotton, hand block printed on both sides in Sanganer. Mulmul is the softest thing you can put a child under - layers of open-woven cotton muslin, light enough to breathe through, soft from the first wash rather than the tenth. No filling, no polyester, no synthetic backing. Just cotton, printed by hand, on both faces.

Specifications

• Size: 40 x 60 in (102 x 152 cm)
• Material: 100% mulmul cotton
• Reversible: Yes - hand block printed on both sides
• Layers: Three
• Filling: Cotton

Why mulmul for a child

Mulmul is woven open and finished soft, so it does two things at once: it breathes, and it weighs almost nothing. A baby regulates temperature badly and overheats easily under anything dense, which is why generations of Indian families have used mulmul rather than a filled quilt for children. It is warm enough for an air-conditioned room, light enough for a summer afternoon, and it gets softer with every wash - which matters, because a child's dohar gets washed a lot.

Printed on both sides

Both faces are block printed, so there is no wrong side and no plain backing. On a child's dohar that is more useful than it sounds - it gets folded, bunched, dragged and laid out as often as it gets spread flat, and it looks right whichever way it lands. It also means twice the printing: the printer works the full length of the cloth once per colour, then turns it and does it again.

Cotton, and nothing else

No polyester, no filling, no synthetic lining. The whole piece is cotton, which means it breathes rather than traps and it washes clean rather than holding moisture. If you want to know exactly what a fabric is made of before it goes near a baby, the answer here is short.

The craft

Sanganer, just south of Jaipur, has printed cloth for more than four centuries. The work is done by the chhipa - the community of master block printers and dyers whose name comes from chhapa, to print. Blocks are carved from teak by hand, one for each colour, and pressed along the length of the cloth at a long table. Where the blocks meet you will sometimes see a faint overlap. That is the hand.

Care

• Wash before first use
• First wash separately in cold water
• Machine wash gentle, mild detergent, no bleach, no fabric softener
• Dry in shade
• Warm iron on low if needed - mulmul creases and it doesn't matter
• Softens with every wash; it is meant to

Good to know

• Slight variation in registration and colour depth is inherent to hand block printing
• Each piece is individually printed and will differ a little from the photograph
• Never leave any loose cloth in a cot with a sleeping infant unsupervised

Frequently asked questions

Is it printed on both sides?
Yes. Both faces are hand block printed, so there's no plain reverse. Use whichever side you like.

Is it soft enough for a newborn?
Mulmul is among the softest cotton weaves made, and it softens further with washing. Wash it once before first use.

Is it warm enough for winter?
It is a light summer and AC-room dohar, not a winter quilt. For a Delhi January below 15 degrees Celsius a child needs something warmer.

Can I machine wash it?
Yes, and you'll need to. Cold water, gentle cycle, no fabric softener - softener coats the fibre and reduces absorbency.

What size is it?
40 x 60 in (102 x 152 cm) - cot and stroller size, and large enough to use as a play mat or a swaddle-and-carry cloth for a toddler.

Does it make a good baby gift?
It's our most-given piece. Reversible, hand block printed, cotton throughout, and useful from the first month to well past toddling.