Towns in a district of Andhra Pradesh have won the geographical indication (GI) tag for the production of kalamkari.This involves carving out intricate designs on wooden blocks and using these to print patterns on fabric.

The name kalamkari is derived from the words qalam (pen) and kari (craftmanship), meaning drawing with a pen.

But there has been a spurt in the use of modern and chemical methods that threaten the traditional art of block printing on fabric using organic and vegetable dyes.

To keep up with growing demands and reduce production costs and time, many villagers have started using chemical dyes and the screen printing method to produce the famed textile style. The modern technique involves digitally creating designs and then making large stencils, which are used instead of blocks.

What the screen printing method can produce in 40 minutes, block printing or hand painting can take days.

The process of kalamkari involves several steps, one of which is to wash the fabric in the Krishna River to ensure that the color lasts longer. The water in the river has the correct mineral composition required to help the colors develop and set. However, the chemical dyes used by other producers have begun to pollute the river.