Four-Strand Kantha Bead Necklace

• Four-strand layered design
• Hand-wrapped fabric beads
• Mixed prints and colorways
• Adjustable length
• Gold-tone hardware

Each bead is individually hand-wrapped in reclaimed fabric, so color placement, pattern and bead shape vary from piece to piece.

Kantha is a running-stitch textile from West Bengal and Bangladesh, where old cotton saris and dhotis are layered and hand-stitched into thick quilted cloth. It began as a household practice of reusing worn fabric rather than throwing it out.

For this necklace, scraps of that reclaimed cloth are cut and wrapped tightly around bead cores, one at a time. Each bead ends up carrying a fragment of a different sari — a stripe, a floral border, a solid dyed panel — so no two read the same.

The wrapped beads are strung and linked by hand across four separate strands, with the lengths graduated so they stack evenly when worn. Cutting, wrapping and stringing is done bead by bead, which is why the finished piece shows the small irregularities of handwork.

• Technique: Kantha textile, upcycled sari fabric

Store flat or hanging, away from moisture, perfume and harsh chemicals. Wipe the fabric and hardware gently with a soft dry cloth.