Pethanpili: Bridging Heritage and the Future
What Is Ikat?
Ikat is a resist-dyeing textile technique, not a print. Instead of colouring finished fabric, artisans bind individual yarns or small bundles so tightly that dye cannot reach the protected sections. The yarns are then dyed, the bindings are repositioned, and the yarns are dyed again sometimes through several rounds of colour before a single thread ever reaches a loom.
Shop the Lotus & Shadow collection https://fmlk.lk/collections/lotus-shadow-by-s-mendes
Because the pattern is created in the yarn itself rather than printed onto woven cloth, an ikat textile is patterned on both sides, something printed fabrics cannot achieve. And because aligning hundreds of individually dyed threads by hand is almost impossible to do with mechanical precision, every genuine ikat piece carries a subtle, characteristic blur at the edges of its motifs.
Anyone who appreciates the craft does not see this as a flaw. They see it as evidence that a human hand, not a machine, determined where each thread would fall.
Ikat Around the World
The ikat technique has appeared independently across textile traditions around the world: the Patola of Gujarat (India), the warp ikat traditions of Kalimantan and Sulawesi (Indonesia), the indigo kasuri of Japan, the woven sarongs of Thailand, and the backstrap-loom ikat traditions of Guatemala and the Andes.
Each region binds, dyes, and weaves in its own way, but all share the same essential act: binding thread before it becomes cloth.
Sri Lanka’s contribution to this global lineage is rarely included in the wider ikat conversation, which is exactly why it matters.
Pethanpili: Sri Lanka’s own Ikat Technique
Away from Colombo, in a small part of Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, a community of artisans in Sitinamaluwa continues this craft under its local name: Pethanpili.
It is not solitary work. A wooden frame holds the design as it is tied, and artisans sit together around it, tying, dyeing, untying, and re-tying. Many hands pass the same length of yarn through a slow, layered process until a pattern that does not yet exist on any visible surface is ready to be woven into cloth.
This is a craft that depends on community as much as skill, and like much of Sri Lanka’s handloom heritage, it has become rarer with every generation that has not been taught it.
The Labour Behind a Single Thread
Tie. Dye. Untie. Re-tie in a new position. Dye again, sometimes three or four times over layering colour upon colour before a single thread is wound onto the loom.
This process is why Pethanpili cannot be rushed. A weaver cannot misalign dyed yarn on the loom without losing the entire pattern; there is no shortcut that does not reveal itself in the finished cloth.
Every piece in this collection passes through hands that understand exactly how much pressure a binding requires, and how long a thread must sit in dye for the colour to take correctly.
The lotus motif in this collection requires the same patience it opens in its own time, never anyone else’s. We do not exaggerate its symbolism; the weave carries it naturally.
Slow Fashion Is a Deliberate Choice
S. Mendes, founded by Sajee Seneviratne, was created with a vision: to bring a contemporary design perspective to endangered craft traditions and to help Sri Lankan textiles earn their rightful place on the global stage.
It is a slow fashion brand built around the knowledge of artisans whose skills the wider market has gradually begun to overlook. Rather than taking the faster, easier route, S. Mendes chooses to celebrate craftsmanship, heritage, and textiles that deserve to be preserved for future generations. By bringing these traditions beyond their local communities and introducing them to the world, the brand hopes to create lasting value for both the craft and the people who keep it alive.
In slow fashion, slowness is not a limitation it is the value itself.
Every piece in this collection exists because an artisan in Sitinamaluwa tied a thread, dyed it, untied it, and tied it again. The people who own these pieces deserve to know exactly whose hands made them.
Thread by thread, every saree carries hours of patience, generations of knowledge, and the living story of Pethanpili. It is more than a textile; it is a piece of Sri Lanka's cultural heritage, woven into something that can be worn, treasured, and passed on.
Shop the Lotus & Shadow collection https://fmlk.lk/collections/lotus-shadow-by-s-mendes
"When a craft disappears, we lose more than a technique, we lose a way of seeing the world."
FAQ
What is Pethanpili?
Pethanpili is the Sri Lankan name for ikat, a traditional resist-dyeing technique in which yarns are bound and dyed in stages before being woven. Because the pattern is created in the yarn itself rather than printed onto finished cloth, the design becomes an integral part of the fabric.
Is Pethanpili made using warp ikat, weft ikat, or both?
Both techniques are part of the Pethanpili tradition. In warp ikat, the lengthwise yarns are tied and dyed before weaving. In weft ikat, the crosswise yarns are resist-dyed and carefully aligned by hand after every pass of the shuttle to maintain the pattern.
Our artisans work with both techniques depending on the design. However, fabrics that combine both warp and weft ikat (double ikat) require significantly more time, precision, and skill, making them far more labour-intensive and costly to produce.
How long does it take to weave one metre of Pethanpili fabric?
Weaving one metre of Pethanpili fabric typically takes around one and a half days on the loom. This estimate refers only to the weaving process after the yarn has been tied, dyed, and the warp has been prepared. It does not include the time spent designing the pattern, binding the yarn, dyeing it through multiple stages, or preparing the loom. Pethanpili is intentionally slow, and that is precisely what makes it valuable.
Can Pethanpili be made in more complex, multi-colour designs?
Yes. More intricate colour palettes are possible, but each additional colour requires extra rounds of tying, binding, and dyeing before weaving can begin. The richer and more complex the design, the greater the time, skill, and craftsmanship required to create it.
Are the artisans paid fairly for their work?
Yes. Fair and respectful compensation for artisans is a core value of S. Mendes. Every piece reflects hours of skilled craftsmanship, years of inherited knowledge, and remarkable attention to detail. The time, expertise, and care invested in each textile are recognised and compensated accordingly. Fair pay is not an added feature of the collection, it is the foundation on which it is built.
Collection available to shop - https://fmlk.lk/collections/lotus-shadow-by-s-mendes