Sarees & fabric
Borders, pallus and full prints matched to your colour and design. Reviews call the saree work detailed and carefully finished.
Sholinganallur, Chennai · family studio
Cloth,
carved by hand.
Kaivannam is a father-and-son block printing studio. Every print starts with a wooden block carved by hand — then colour, pressure, and cloth.
5.0 ★ from 130 Google reviews · appointments recommended
5.0
130 Google reviews
hand-carved blocks
01 — The studio
A block library, a treed courtyard, and ink on your hands.
Visitors describe Kaivannam as a calm, tree-shaded workshop stacked with wooden blocks — each one carved by hand, many of them carrying Tamil script and traditional motifs. You can watch a saree being printed, learn how the blocks are inked, or print something of your own.
The studio is run by Parthiban and his father Krishna Moorthy, who teach patiently and take custom work — sarees, shirts, dupattas, bags, and return gifts — from idea to finished print.
Come see the blocks02 — What we print
Your cloth. Their blocks.
Shirts & tees
Small motifs, Tamil script and custom layouts printed onto your own shirt or tee — a favourite for personal pieces and gifts.
Bags & accessories
Tote bags with Tamil-culture motifs, printed in the studio and finished by hand. Also made to order for events.
Return gifts & props
Small-batch printed gifts for weddings and functions, plus custom textile work for film and photo shoots.
The workshop
“So much fun to learn from this father and son duo. They were very patient when teaching us.”
Megan Kinney · Google review
See how workshops work03 — The process
Three steps, all by hand.
-
1
Choose a block
Pick from the studio's collection — florals, geometry, temple motifs, or Tamil letterforms.
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2
Mix the colour
Colours are matched to your fabric and border. This is where the design starts to feel like yours.
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3
Press & print
Ink the block, line it up, press. Repeat. The rhythm is simple; the finish is not.
04 — In the studio
Blocks, cloth, and colour.
05 — In their words
Five stars, one studio.
The craftsmanship, detailing, and quality are truly outstanding. They brought my vision to life with so much care and creativity.
I used Tamil language as the main element of the block print — it gives the shirt a strong connection to my culture and heritage.
An amazing place to learn hand block printing. Mr Murthy and his son were patient with all our questions.
06 — Come by
The studio is open.
1, School Road (South), 9th Cross St, TNHB,
Sholinganallur, Chennai 600119
Mon–Sat 9:30 am – 5 pm · Sun 10 am – 4 pm