NEW YORK — The cross-cultural mixing and ethnic looks that are continuing trends in the fabric market have paved the way for new ideas for ikats.
That’s the thinking of Tina Ruyter, owner of Tekstil, a two-year-old fabric importer here. She’s offering authentic Balinese cotton ikats from four vertical textile mills and factories in Indonesia.
Among the firm’s current offerings are border-patterned, yarn-dyed wovens with chevrons and little geometrics of different colored warps and wefts that lend a silk or iridescent effect. There are also heathery versions, and others that use the ancient ikat technique to create a modern look.
The cotton is mercerized, which contributes to the silk or shimmery finish, Ruyter said. Additionally, the mercerized threads and finer designs produce better detail and more interesting, intricate patterns. Coordinating solids and heathers are also available.
Tekstil’s customers include Koos & De Wilde, a New York-based sportswear firm; Nikos Mikalis of Nikos Handwovens, an apparel manufacturer in Ashland, Or., and Origins, a boutique in Sante Fe, N.M.
“The fabrics are great,”said Koos van den Akker, Koos & De Wilde’s designer, who particularly likes the wine and brown selections. “We make ruffled skirts and tiered skirts in six different patterns, and we mix them with peasant blouses. They’re all very soft cotton, and they can take you from day to evening, depending on how you wear them.”