Dhaka’s Muslin is a precious ancient fabric which, more than two centuries ago, was the most expensive in the world, being twenty-six times more expensive than silk. It became the new fashion trend by the time and gained admiration and notoriety among Europeans.
Known as the finest fabric made by human hands, Dhaka’s muslin caused a scandal because it was translucent/transparent and was used in women’s blouses and dresses, giving the appearance of nudity. It was made from plants grown along the banks of the Meghna River in the Ganges Delta. With its origins in a place with a long history of textile manufacture, the fabric was so different that it was even traded for rhinoceros horns, tortoise shells and ivory.
Apart from its unique texture, the interesting fact about it is that, in the last two hundred years, no one has been able to produce this fabric again – it has disappeared from the face of the earth, perhaps forever. How did this happen? Can we find it?
The origin and history of Dhakas Muslin
Long before it was discovered and became a major commodity, it was sold all over the world. It was popularly known by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Arabs who traded between the Red Sea port and India. After years of being sold, its popularity reached Europe. Dhaka’s muslin was the fabric of choice for aristocratic Europeans, dressing great names such as French Queen Marie Antoinette, Empress Joséphine Bonaparte and English writer Jane Austen.
During the consolidation of the Mughal Empire, founded in 1526, Dhaka Muslin became a highly valued and widely traded fabric, especially with Middle Eastern countries such as Persia, Iraq and Turkey. The Mughal emperors and their wives were so fond of the fabric that they encouraged local production and forbade the sale of the best fabrics to other buyers. However, this era of prosperity for muslin ended with the arrival of the British.
In 1793, the British East India Company conquered the Mughal Empire and the region fell under British control. At the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, Dhaka muslin was presented to the British, delighting the Victorians but bringing ruin to its producers. The British monopolized production and trade, forcing weavers to increase production at reduced prices, which pushed them into inescapable debt and destroyed the traditional Muslin industry.
The popularity and extinction
The fabric was lost due to the systematic destruction of India’s textile industry by the British in the 18th century. Despite its value on the European market, where it was sold for exorbitant prices, local weavers faced exploitation and financial difficulties, marking the decline of one of the most renowned industries of the Mughal era.
The British attempt to replicate Dhaka muslin never achieved the quality of the original fabric, which was made with special cotton and an extremely fine thread count. Instead, the British used ordinary cotton and inferior techniques. Decades of exploitation and reduced demand for imported fabrics eventually destroyed traditional muslin production. Faced with wars, poverty and natural disasters, many weavers had to abandon their craft, opting instead to make inferior fabrics or becoming farmers in order to survive. This set of adversities led to the complete collapse of the Dhaka muslin industry.
What was the production process of the fabric said to be made by fairy hands?
In the spring, the plants would sprout and, upon reaching maturity, produce yellow flowers that would turn into cotton fibers. These fibers, known as Phuti karpas, were very different from those used in most modern cottons: short, thick and easy to fray. Although these characteristics made the fibers unsuitable for the industrial production of cheap fabrics, they were perfect for the manual production of Dhaka Muslin.
Production began with the cleaning of the cotton balls, done with the spiky teeth of the jaw of the boal catfish, found in the region’s lakes and rivers. Next came spinning, which required exceptional skills. Due to the nature of the short cotton fibers, which needed high humidity to be stretched, this stage was carried out in boats by groups of young women in the early morning and late afternoon – the wettest times of the day. The task required such precision that older people with poor eyesight were unable to perform it, highlighting the need for specific coordination and dexterity to keep the tradition alive.
The art of weaving Dhaka muslin was a complex process involving 16 specialized steps, each carried out by a different village around Dhaka, which at the time was part of Bengal – encompassing areas of what are now Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. This process was a true community effort, involving people of all ages and genders.
The attempt to recover the legendary fabric and its importance
In the modern world, the attempt to reweave this rarity, which was part of fashion and world history, is still a matter of debate. No one in the world has come close to recreating the Dhaka muslin or planting the extinct cotton.
If there were success in reconstructing the mysterious weaving process, the effect on Bangladesh’s economy would be very prosperous and on its cultural heritage too.
Today’s muslin is used to make saris and tunics, but it is not the same as the famous fabric of more than 200 years ago. It is a symbol of cultural identity and social cohesion. Its history is so important that Unesco inscribed the traditional art of Dhaka muslin weaving on the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2013.
Dhaka Muslin, surely one of the finest and most luxurious forms of fabric ever produced, is a testament to the extraordinary skill and talent of Bangladeshi artisans. It remains a powerful reminder of Bangladesh’s rich cultural heritage. Today, efforts to revitalize this tradition are not only a celebration of the past, but also an affirmation of the enduring value of craftsmanship and cultural identity in a world of constant change. Preserving and cherishing Dhaka Muslin is therefore a way of keeping alive the history and art that define a nation.
———————–———————–————–————–
The article above was edited by Giulia Giampietro.
Like ths type of content? Check out Her Campus Casper Libero for more.