Nankeen textiles are an ancient art form from China. The traditional Asian blue and white hand-printed cotton, using a three-thousand year-old paste-resist process, is created by local artists in the Shanghai region of China. Nankeen originated in the rural areas south of the Yangtze River. It was widely popular and produced locally by the farming communities. The patterns expose this traditional cultural background. Butterflies, cranes, peaches, phoenix, peony, and dragons symbolize love, longevity, wealth, and success.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the local products produced were exported to Southeast Asia. In the last few decades, with changes in lifestyle, this hand woven calico gradually lost its popularity and then disappeared from the life of ordinary people. Today, Nankeen produced by the traditional process can only be found in very few locations.

The fabric is hand woven 100% organic cotton. A hand carved wooden stencil that is applied to the fabric creates the print. A mix of soya bean flour and stalked lime is applied through the openings of the stencil. The fabric is then dip dyed into a natural indigo plant dye. After the right colour is achieved and the fabric has dried, the paste is scraped off, revealing the white patterns on the blue cloth.

Trevillian & Trevillian’s Nankeen collection combines these striking blue and white designs with high quality 400 thread count 100% cotton

Nankeen textiles have an artistic refinement and primitive simplicity; reflecting the blue glazed porcelain of the Song Dynasty

The Nankeen collection has a simple elegance and the blue and white colours create a classic, yet contemporary range