Four-Row Bib Necklace in Shifting Reds

$56.00

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AK-N43-RED

Four rows of round beads curve forward at the throat, held in a stepped arc by fine vertical bars. The reds move bead to bead — crimson, rose, burgundy, with brief flashes of printed orange and cream.

Material: Upcycled cotton textile beads, brass and copper spacer bars
Color: Red
Length: 16 in plus 3 in extender
Closure: Lobster clasp
Origin: India

On, the deepest row centers at the collarbone with the outer rows stepping upward in scale. A single strand of beads rises around the back to the clasp, and the mixed prints read as one saturated red field until you get close enough to see the individual scraps.

Details

Four graduated rows
Structured bib silhouette
Vertical brass connector bars
Upcycled sari-cotton beads
No two beads alike
Gold-tone lobster clasp with extender chain

Each bead is individually wrapped in a scrap of reclaimed sari cotton, so the exact placement and mix of prints will vary slightly from piece to piece.

The Story

Kantha is a running-stitch textile tradition from Bengal, historically used to layer worn cotton saris into new cloth. Here that instinct for reuse turns fabric into form: strips of reclaimed sari cotton are wound tightly around bead cores, so the original prints and dyes carry over in miniature.

The reds — crimson, rose, burgundy — come from the saris the fabric was cut from rather than a single dye lot, which is why the color story shifts as your eye moves across the rows. Small flashes of orange or cream mark where a printed pattern surfaces on a bead.

The brass bars threaded between the rows are a modern construction choice layered onto the older textile practice, giving the softness of cloth a sculptural, tiered shape it wouldn't hold on its own.

Craft & Care

Technique: Kantha textile, upcycled sari cotton

Keep the textile beads dry and store the necklace flat to hold its bib shape.

Questions

What is Kantha textile?

Kantha is a Bengali tradition of repurposing worn cotton saris into new textile pieces. Here, strips of reclaimed sari cotton are wound around bead forms so each bead carries a small piece of a sari's original print.

Why does the color vary from bead to bead?

Each bead is wrapped in a different scrap of reclaimed sari cotton, so the reds shift from crimson to rose to burgundy across the piece and no two beads carry the same pattern.

How long is it?

16 inches with a 3-inch extender chain, so it can be worn snug at the collarbone or slightly looser.

How should I care for it?

Keep the textile beads dry and store the necklace flat to help it hold its structured bib shape.

Is each necklace one of a kind?

Yes. Because the beads are hand-wrapped in scraps of reclaimed sari fabric, the exact pattern mix on one necklace won't repeat on another.