Uzbek ikat silk

The word ikat comes from Indonesian and is used worldwide for textiles in which the pattern is dyed into the threads before they are woven. In Uzbekistan, the technique is called abrband, from the Persian for "tied cloud", because the edges of the patterns are soft and slightly blurred, like clouds. The result is a shimmering, vibrant fabric with bold patterns in red, yellow, green, blue, purple and black.

Ikat has been made in Central Asia for centuries and reached a peak in the 19th century, when ikat robes (chapan) were worn by the wealthy and given as gifts at the courts of Bukhara and Kokand.

• Atlas (khan-atlas, "king’s silk"): woven entirely of silk, with a glossy, satin surface. It is the most prestigious, used for dresses and festive clothes.
• Adras: a mix of silk (warp) and cotton (weft), with a matt, ribbed texture. It is more durable and used for robes, cushions, bags and furnishing.
• Bekasab and other variants have stripes or different weaves.

Making ikat is long and complex, and each stage is traditionally done by a different master:

1. Silk production: silkworms are raised on mulberry leaves in spring; cocoons are boiled and the silk unwound into threads.
2. Designing: the master draws the pattern onto the stretched warp threads.
3. Tying: sections of the threads are tied tightly with cotton or plastic so that the dye cannot reach them.
4. Dyeing: the threads are dipped in dye, one colour at a time, starting with the lightest. For each new colour, some ties are removed and others added.
5. Weaving: the dyed threads are set on the loom, and the pattern appears as the fabric is woven. Small shifts in the threads give the typical blurred edges.

Traditionally, natural dyes such as madder, indigo, pomegranate skin and walnut husk were used; today both natural and synthetic dyes are used.

Ikat patterns include stylised pomegranates, almonds, combs, amulets, flowers, rams’ horns and abstract shapes. Many have protective or symbolic meanings, linked to fertility, prosperity or protection against the evil eye. Colours also carried meaning: bright colours for young women and celebrations, darker tones for older people.

Margilan, in the Fergana Valley, has been a centre of silk for over a thousand years. At the Yodgorlik silk factory, you can follow every stage of production, from cocoons to dyeing and hand weaving, and buy fabrics and scarves. Family workshops in Margilan also welcome visitors. The Kumtepa bazaar sells ikat fabrics alongside everyday goods. See Margilan and our Fergana Valley itinerary.

Spring, when the silkworms are raised, is a particularly interesting time to visit.

Ikat is not just for museums. Uzbek women wear atlas dresses at weddings, holidays and celebrations, and designers in Tashkent create modern fashion with ikat. You will see ikat cushions in teahouses, ikat robes on older men, and ikat used for bags, shoes and jackets in craft shops.

• Where: Margilan (best choice and prices), Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva and Tashkent shops.
• Hand-woven or printed: printed imitations are common and cheaper; real ikat shows the pattern on both sides and has the typical blurred edges.
• Silk or blend: atlas feels smooth and shiny; adras is matt and textured.
• Care: hand-wash in cold water; natural dyes may bleed.

Keep receipts for larger purchases. See our crafts route, suzani embroidery and Uzbek ceramics.