Braided Indigo Kantha Bead Collar Necklace

Name: Braided Indigo Kantha Bead Collar Necklace
Brand: Zavaire
SKU: WF-N69
Price: 64.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

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Several strands of fabric-wrapped beads twist together into a wide collar — saturated indigo running the length, with smaller printed beads in black and cream worked into the braid.

Material: Recycled Kantha cotton over wood cores; base metal chain
Color: Indigo, black, cream
Length: 17 in, with 3.5 in extender
Width: 2 in
Closure: Lobster clasp
Origin: India

It sits high on the collarbone as a wide, structured band. The bead scale shifts across the braid — larger solid indigo beads next to smaller printed ones — so the composition changes around the neckline. Fabric-wrapped over wood, so it wears light despite the volume.

Details

Multiple braided strands
Mixed indigo and printed black-and-cream beads
3.5 in extender chain
Lobster clasp closure

Each bead is hand-wrapped from a piece of recycled Kantha cloth, so color placement, pattern and bead size vary from one necklace to the next.

The Story

The beads start as Kantha cloth — the running-stitch quilted textiles from West Bengal and Bangladesh, made by layering worn cotton saris and stitching them together. Offcuts of that cloth are wound tightly around small wood cores, so each bead carries a fragment of an already-used fabric rather than a pattern printed to order.

The mix of solid indigo and printed black-and-cream beads is a function of what the cloth actually was. Indigo dye is standard across South Asian textile traditions; the patterned beads come from whatever printed scraps were on hand. Braiding several strands together is what makes the material work at scale — a single strand of fabric beads reads delicate, several braided together carry real weight.

Women artisans in India cut the strips by hand, wind them tight around the wood cores, and secure the ends so the cloth holds through wear. Because the source fabric is reused rather than newly printed, no two beads come from the same spot in the pattern.

Craft & Care

Technique: Recycled Kantha textile beadwork

Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and store flat or hanging, away from moisture and direct sunlight. The beads are fabric-wrapped rather than sealed.

Questions

How long is the necklace?

17 in with a 3.5 in extender chain, so it can sit slightly higher or lower on the collarbone.

What are the beads made of?

Recycled Kantha cotton wrapped tightly around a wood core, not glass, resin or stone.

Will mine look exactly like the photo?

The bead colors and patterns shift piece to piece since each one is hand-wrapped from repurposed fabric. The indigo, black and cream palette and braided collar shape stay consistent.

Is it heavy to wear?

The beads are lightweight fabric over wood, so it wears lighter than a comparable metal or stone piece of the same scale.

How do I clean it?

Wipe with a dry cloth and keep it away from water, sprays, lotions and direct sun. The beads are fabric-covered rather than sealed.