Blue Calico - Butterflies

All fabrics sold by the metre is final sale. 

Chinese blue calico (蓝印花布) is a resist-dyeing technique that has been around since Qing dynasty, and is widely practiced in Nantong city (Jiangsu Province, China). The traditional process is well-preserved to this day, and offers a natural, sustainable production method that’s well matched to today’s socially conscious consumers.

Led by the national inheritor, Wang Zhenxing (王振兴), our blue calico fabric collection is all handcrafted by the skilled family of eight that make up Zhenxing Dye House (正兴染坊). By using a unique soybean and lime paste as dye resist, before immersing in natural indigo, they are able to produce versatile fabrics that are vibrant, durable, and odor-eliminating.

Pick your pattern of choice and realize your next creative project with these stunning fabrics! If you are interested in learning more about this craft or the family of talented artisans behind it, feel free to check out our videos and Instagram posts.

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About this style: "庄生梦蝶" is a Chinese phrase that can be translated to "Zhuangzhou’s Butterfly Dream." This phrase refers to a famous anecdote from the writings of Zhuangzi, a Chinese philosopher from the Warring States period. In this story, Zhuangzhou dreams of fluttering like a butterfly; but upon waking, he questions whether he is actually Zhuangzhou who dreamed of being a butterfly or a butterfly who has turned into Zhuangzhou. This anecdote is often interpreted as exploring themes of perception, reality, and the nature of existence.