Togo Stone

The ikat pattern of Togo, from our Gobi collection, leads us along the Silk Road through the desert oasis of Uzbekistan and into the jungles of Indonesia. Its name comes from the Malaysian 'mengikat' meaning to tie, as the loose threads are dyed first then knotted artfully to create the pattern. This is unlike the techniques of today where patterns are printed onto ready-made cloth. It is for this reason that ikat is associated with luxury and status. In the 19th century they were traded by Indonesian Sultans for better spice trading rights with Holland, bringing these exotic fabrics to European eyes. So follow these arrows, with the promise of silk and spices, and see which tropical land they will take you to.