Arched entrance to the Daughters of India workshop in Jaipur, where every garment begins its journey from India to you

INDIA & PLACE

FROM India TO YOU
~ OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

No middlemen. No shortcuts. No wholesale. Every Daughters of India garment travels a transparent path from raw cotton to your wardrobe ~ and we want you to know every step.

A transparent JOURNEY

In the world of fashion, transparency is rare. Most brands cannot tell you exactly where their garments were made, let alone who made them. Daughters of India operates differently.

Born on the coast of Northern New South Wales, Australia, our garments are handmade in India ~ in our facilities in both Delhi and Jaipur ~ by artisans we work with directly, using processes we understand in detail. There are no middlemen. We do not wholesale. The path from raw material to your wardrobe is direct, and we can account for every step along the way.

This is not transparency as a marketing strategy. It is transparency as a natural consequence of how we work. When your supply chain is short and your relationships are long, there is nothing to hide.

Two women artisans block printing fabric side by side at the outdoor printing tables in the workshop

Our workshop in India ~ where every DOI garment begins its journey.

THE SEVEN steps

01

The Cotton

Every garment begins with fabric. Daughters of India sources the highest grade cotton attainable for our block-printed pieces. Cotton quality matters enormously for hand block printing ~ the fabric must accept dye evenly, hold colour through washing, and provide a surface smooth enough for fine detail. For our handloom pieces ~ the Poet series ~ fabric is woven on manual looms by artisans in Manamedu, Tamil Nadu. We also work with LENZING ECOVERO viscose, cotton gauze, organic cotton, and linen blends.

02

Fabric Preparation

Raw fabric cannot be printed on directly. It is hand-washed to remove any sizing, starch, or impurities that could prevent dye from penetrating the fibres evenly. After washing, the fabric is stretched and dried, then laid flat on the printing tables and secured. A poorly prepared fabric will produce a poorly printed garment, regardless of the printer's skill.

03

The Blocks

Our printing blocks are carved from Shisham ~ Indian rosewood ~ by master block carvers, a process that can take five to fifteen days depending on complexity. Our Kyra designs typically use two blocks. Our Jasmine designs require up to six. Each block must align precisely with the others through registration points (tikki pins) placed with millimetre accuracy.

04

Printing by Hand

Eco-friendly AZO-free dyes are mixed fresh and spread onto the gaddi. The printer dips the block into the dye tray, positions it on the cloth, and strikes the back firmly with a closed fist. Working left to right, top to bottom, the printer builds the pattern impression by impression. A six-block design means the fabric passes through this process six times. A single printer working a full day might complete enough fabric for just a few garments.

05

Sun-Drying

Between colour passes, the printed fabric is laid out to dry in the Rajasthani sun. The sun plays an active role in setting the dyes, deepening their colour, and ensuring they bond fully with the cotton fibres. After the final colour pass, the fabric receives a thorough wash to remove excess dye and soften the cloth.

06

Tailoring and Finishing

Patterns are laid out on the printed cloth with care ~ the placement of the print on the finished garment matters. Seams, hems, and structural elements are machine-stitched for strength. Decorative elements ~ tassels, trim, button loops ~ are often hand-finished. The goal is a garment that is both beautiful and durable.

07

Six-Step Quality Control

Before any garment leaves our workshop, it passes through six quality control steps: thread cutting, measurement verification, print and stitch review, hand wash and sun dry, colour variation assessment, and steaming for final packing. This is where care becomes quality.

Three women artisans hand-stitching garments at the Daughters of India sewing facility in Jaipur

Handcrafted garment creation ~ every stitch, every fold, every detail by hand.

DOI'S six-step QUALITY CONTROL

01

Thread cutting

Every garment is examined for loose threads, excess fabric, and any unfinished edges. Stray threads are trimmed. Seams are checked for completeness. It sounds simple, but attention at this stage prevents the small imperfections that can undermine a garment's quality over time.

02

Measurement check

Each garment is measured against the specifications for its size and style. Length, bust, waist, sleeve length, and other critical dimensions are verified. Handmade garments naturally carry slight variations, but each must fall within the acceptable range for its size to ensure consistent fit across the range.

03

Print and stitch review

The print quality is assessed ~ checking for even colour coverage, clean registration between multiple blocks, and any areas where the print may have been disrupted. Stitching is examined for consistency, strength, and neatness. Buttons, zips, ties, and other closures are tested for function.

04

Hand wash and sun dry

Every finished garment is hand-washed and sun-dried. This step removes any residual dye or sizing, softens the fabric to its intended hand-feel, and tests colour fastness under real-world conditions. Any garment that shows unexpected colour bleeding or fading at this stage is set aside.

05

Colour variation check

Garments are compared within their colourway to ensure consistency. Hand block printing naturally produces variation ~ this is a feature of the craft, not a flaw ~ but the variation must fall within an acceptable range. This check protects the integrity of each colourway while honouring the handmade nature of the process.

06

Steaming for packing

The final step. Each garment is carefully steamed to remove any creases from the washing and drying process, then folded and prepared for packing. Steaming also gives the fabric its final presentation ~ smooth, soft, and ready to wear. The garment is then packaged and prepared for its journey from our workshop to you.

“We don't do ranges or collections. We release one product at a time. We don't wholesale. There are no production deadlines. This is not how the fashion industry works. But it is how we work.”

Daughters of India

Indian artisans Anuradha Sharma and Priya Lodhwal hand-sewing the Chaaya Maxi dress in Eggplant at a Daughters of India production facility, demonstrating the meticulous craftsmanship behind each handmade garment

NO middlemen

One of the most important aspects of Daughters of India's supply chain is what it does not contain: middlemen.

In the conventional fashion industry, a garment's journey from maker to wearer passes through multiple intermediaries ~ agents, consolidators, distributors, wholesalers, retailers ~ each adding their margin and each adding distance between the person who made the garment and the person who wears it.

Daughters of India works directly with our workshops. There is no agent between us and our artisans. We do not wholesale our garments to other retailers. When you purchase from Daughters of India ~ whether through our online store or our boutique at 11/12 Greenway Drive, Tweed Heads South, NSW ~ you are buying directly from the source.

Large group of women artisans in colourful saris gathered at the Daughters of India workshop

THE people BEHIND THE CLOTH

Our workshop is led by Avneet, whose father started the business thirty-eight years ago, making it one of the first niche clothing exporters from Jaipur. The workshop employs around one hundred staff with an approximately equal split between men and women. It is SEDEX certified, reflecting a commitment to ethical working conditions that goes beyond legal minimums.

Workers manage their own hours without production deadlines ~ a practice that sounds simple but runs profoundly counter to the pressure-driven model that dominates fashion manufacturing. There are no late-night shifts to meet shipping dates. No penalties for taking time off. The pace of the workshop is the pace of the craft.

The women artisan team has grown significantly in recent years, expanding from twenty-five to around seventy-five. The workshop's partnership with the UN women's branch reflects a commitment to gender equity in an industry where it is not always the norm.

Women artisans block printing yellow fabric by hand at an outdoor printing table in the workshop

From workshop to wardrobe ~ every garment carries the hands of its makers.

FROM workshop TO WARDROBE

After passing quality control, garments are packed and shipped from India to our base in Australia. From there, they are dispatched directly to customers or stocked at our boutique in Tweed Heads South.

The journey from workshop to wardrobe can take weeks rather than days. Handmade production does not operate on the tight timelines of fast fashion. We do not release collections on a seasonal schedule. Instead, a new style or colourway appears when it is ready ~ when the design has been refined, the blocks carved, the printing tested, and the garments made to the standard we require.

This pace is deliberate. It reflects a belief that clothing made well is worth waiting for, and that the urgency that drives fast fashion ~ the constant pressure to produce more, faster, cheaper ~ is fundamentally at odds with quality, craftsmanship, and the wellbeing of the people who make our clothes.

When you hold a Daughters of India garment in your hands for the first time, you are holding the end of a journey that began with raw cotton, passed through the hands of dye mixers, block carvers, printers, washers, and tailors, survived six rounds of quality control, and crossed an ocean to reach you. It is a journey made possible by the skill and patience of people who care about what they do.

We think that is worth knowing about.

“Every garment that carries the Daughters of India label carries the hands, skill, and care of an entire workshop with it ~ from raw cotton to your wardrobe, with no middlemen in between.”

Our Promise

Inside the making facility ~ where approximately 100 artisans work without production deadlines

Explore Further

THE JOURNEY continues

Artisan trimming thread from a finished garment against a yellow wall at the sewing workshop

What is Block Printing?

Understand the craft at the heart of every DOI garment.
Elderly artisan seated at a table surrounded by carved wooden printing blocks at the block printing workshop

The Artisan Villages

The communities behind the craft.
Woman artisan in a yellow sari at the Daughters of India production facility

Caring for Handmade

How to make your DOI piece last for years.
Two women artisans standing together against a yellow wall at the Daughters of India workshop

Ethical Fashion

What ethical production really means.
Explore All Craft Pages

WEAR THE craft

Handmade in India by skilled artisans ~ pieces made with care and intention.

Shipping & Returns

Our slow fashion garments are handcrafted by artisan communities in India, supporting women's empowerment and preserving ancient textile traditions.

We are a small team however we endeavour to process your order within 1-3 business days. You'll receive a tracking number by email once your order ships.

Delivery Australia International
Standard 3–7 days 5–10 days
Express 1–5 days 2–5 days


You can find our full shipping policy here.

We want you to love your Daughters of India piece. If it's not quite right, we're happy to help — simply return within 30 days and we'll issue a Daughters of India Gift Card for the full value. Your credit never expires and can be used on any piece, including new collections.

  • Items must be returned in original condition — unworn, unwashed with tags attached, folded neatly in the Daughters of India tote bag provided.
  • To arrange your return, contact us at hello@daughtersofindia.net. We recommend using a trackable shipping service.
  • Refunds are processed within 5–7 business days of receiving the return.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or store credit.

You can find our full returns policy here.

Shipping & Returns

Our slow fashion garments are handcrafted by artisan communities in India, supporting women's empowerment and preserving ancient textile traditions.

We are a small team however we endeavour to process your order within 1-3 business days. You'll receive a tracking number by email once your order ships.

Delivery Australia International
Standard 3–7 days 5–10 days
Express 1–5 days 2–5 days


You can find our full shipping policy here.

We want you to love your Daughters of India piece. If it's not quite right, we're happy to help — simply return within 30 days and we'll issue a Daughters of India Gift Card for the full value. Your credit never expires and can be used on any piece, including new collections.

  • Items must be returned in original condition — unworn, unwashed with tags attached, folded neatly in the Daughters of India tote bag provided.
  • To arrange your return, contact us at hello@daughtersofindia.net. We recommend using a trackable shipping service.
  • Refunds are processed within 5–7 business days of receiving the return.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or store credit.

You can find our full returns policy here.

Notify me when it's available

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Notify me when it's available

We will send you an alert once the product becomes available. Your details will not be shared with anyone else.

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We'll let you know when it's back.

Email*
Phone number

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