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Five-strand multicolor Kantha fabric bead necklace of recycled cotton with brass-tone accents, made in India
  • Five-strand multicolor Kantha fabric bead necklace of recycled cotton with brass-tone accents, made in India
  • Mixed-color five-strand fabric bead necklace worn with a cream top and linen blazer
  • Full view of the five-strand Kantha bead necklace with brass-tone chain closure and bead drop
  • Multicolor Kantha bead necklace layered on a linen dress form
  • Five-strand fabric bead necklace in red, blue, teal and yellow on sandstone with dried flowers
  • Five-strand multicolor Kantha fabric bead necklace of recycled cotton with brass-tone accents, made in India
  • Mixed-color five-strand fabric bead necklace worn with a cream top and linen blazer
  • Full view of the five-strand Kantha bead necklace with brass-tone chain closure and bead drop
  • Multicolor Kantha bead necklace layered on a linen dress form
  • Five-strand fabric bead necklace in red, blue, teal and yellow on sandstone with dried flowers
Five-Strand Fabric Bead Necklace in Mixed Color

Five-Strand Fabric Bead Necklace in Mixed Color

$64.00
  • USA based
  • 30-day returns
AK-N37-MLT

In stock · ships in 1 business day

Five strands of fabric-wrapped beads graduate down the neckline, each strand a different scale, each bead a different piece of printed cloth in teal, magenta, mustard, cobalt and cream.

  • Material: Recycled Kantha cotton, brass-toned alloy
  • Color: Multicolor
  • Length: 18 in shortest strand, plus 3 in extender
  • Origin: India

Small brass-toned spacers punctuate every strand, catching light between the softer surfaces of the cloth. Volume across the collarbone without the weight of solid beads — a piece large enough to carry a plain neckline on its own, and one that shifts color slightly every time it moves.
Details
  • Five graduated strands
  • Hand-wrapped fabric beads
  • Brass-toned alloy spacers
  • 3 in extender chain
  • Upcycled kantha textile

Each bead is individually hand-wrapped from remnant fabric, so color placement, pattern and bead size vary from one piece to the next.

The Story

Kantha is a running-stitch textile tradition from Bengal, where worn cotton saris and dhotis were layered and stitched into new quilts rather than discarded. The more a sari had been used and washed, the softer and more prized the resulting cloth.

This necklace translates that reuse from flat cloth into bead form. Small pieces of remnant sari and kantha cotton are wrapped tightly around a core, so every bead carries a fragment of a different print or weave. Five graduated strands multiply the effect into real depth of color.

Sorting the scraps by color and pattern comes first, then the slow bead-by-bead wrapping, then the stringing into strands alternating with brass-toned alloy spacers.

Craft & Care
  • Technique: Kantha textile bead wrapping

Keep dry. Avoid direct contact with perfumes and lotions, and store separately from other jewelry to protect the fabric-wrapped beads.

Questions

What is this necklace made of?

The beads are hand-wrapped in upcycled Kantha cotton — sari and cotton remnants — over bead cores, strung with brass-toned alloy spacers.

Will my necklace look exactly like the one photographed?

Close, not identical. Since each bead is wrapped from a different fabric remnant, color placement and pattern sequence vary from piece to piece.

What is Kantha?

Kantha is a running-stitch textile tradition from the Bengal region of India, originally used to layer worn saris and dhotis into new quilts. Here the same reused cloth is wrapped around beads instead of stitched flat.

How long is it?

The shortest of the five strands measures 18 in with a 3 in extender. The remaining strands graduate longer, creating the layered drape on their own.

How should I care for it?

Keep it dry, avoid direct contact with perfumes and lotions, and store it separately from other jewelry to protect the fabric-wrapped beads.

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