Every dress at House of Meera starts as a length of plain cotton and a set of hand-cut screens. Before a single seam is sewn, our artisan partners in India print each metre by hand – a slow, skilled process that gives our dresses their depth of colour and one-of-a-kind character. So what exactly is hand screen printing?
How hand screen printing works
A screen is a fine mesh stretched tight over a frame. The design is transferred onto the mesh so that ink can only pass through the pattern. The printer lays the screen on the cotton, pours dye along one edge and pulls it across with a squeegee – pressing colour through the mesh and onto the fabric.
- Design & separation – each colour in a print gets its own screen.
- Printing – artisans work along long printing tables, lining up each repeat by eye.
- Layering – once one colour dries, the next screen is added, building the full design.
- Curing – the fabric is sun-dried and heat-set so colours stay bright wash after wash.
- Cutting & stitching – the printed cotton is cut and sewn into dresses in small batches.
Why no two dresses are exactly alike
Because every pull of the squeegee is done by hand, you'll see tiny variations in colour depth and pattern placement. These aren't flaws – they're the maker's signature, and proof your dress was created by a person, not a machine.
Hand screen printing vs digital printing
Digital printing sprays ink onto the surface of fabric. Hand screen printing pushes dye into the fibres, creating richer, longer-lasting colour with a soft, natural hand-feel – ideal for breathable cotton dresses you'll wear for years.
Better for people and the planet
Printing by hand in small runs means less overproduction and more skilled, fairly paid work for artisan communities. It's slow fashion in the truest sense.
See the craft up close in our Artisan Handmade collection, or read more about our story and makers.