In this series, we will be exploring different aspects of the history of bandanas: evolution of prints and production, the rise of US manufacturing, and its social, political, and cultural influence. We are starting with the early history and evolution of bandana styles.
Bandanas are inextricably linked with American history, conjuring up images of cowboys, robbers, and rednecks. Having now evolved into a staple of workwear and sportswear wardrobes, it’s easy to overlook this somewhat simple accessory. However, bandanas not only have a global history, they have been the forefront of social and political symbolism throughout American history.
Part 1: From India to the Americas
Development of production, techniques and motifs
Bandanas, as we know them today, originated in India. By the 18th century there was a thriving export trade to Europe through the Dutch East India Company, and these early textiles were developed specifically for export. Different regions in India produced different varieties of handkerchiefs, and the popularity of certain designs evolved and shifted over time. Some elements are still retained in classic bandana motifs we see today.
In the 18th century, hand-painted and dyed chintz motifs were popular, particularly in France. These were usually made of cotton in the Pulikat region of India, becoming colloquially known as "pulikats".
Reversible handkerchief of mordant-dyed and resist-dyed cotton chintz, Coromandel Coast, 18th century. Accession # IS.166-1950, Victoria and Albert Museum.
While we can see some similarity in the elements of design between early "Pulikats" and modern bandanas, most of the patterns that we now associate with a classic bandana were made in Murshidabad. Murishidabad is famous for producing silk, and these early bandanas were generally made of a lightweight kora silk, plain-weave or twilled.
There were two main methods for creating designs on these early examples. The first technique used tie-dye to create simple, geometric patterns as the images below. This technique would be called bandana (from Hindi bandhana: 'to tie'). The most common colors for these tie-dyed bandanas were indigo blue, red, chocolate brown, and yellow.
Handkerchief, Indian (Andhra Pradesh).18th or 19th century. MFA Boston, Accession Number 34.126
Daguerreotype of a Man in a tie dye bandana (similar to the example shown above), 1850s. Accession #URI 1952.99.115. Image via University of Rhode Island textile collection
Detail of an indigo-dyed resist -printed silk, Murshidabad, West Bengal, c. 1867; Accession #4909(IS), Victoria and Albert Museum.
The second technique for patterning was block printing. The designs were made by carving the designs onto pieces of wood, making a wooden printing block. These were generally found in floral designs (called "choppa" bandanas, from Hindi chhapna: 'to print'). Block printed styles could be stamped with a thickened ink to create black and red patterns on cream fabric ground, like the examples below.
Discharge printed cotton bandana, screen print, manufactured by Sable New York (USA), 2024.
American-made Bandanas
Handkerchief depicting George Washington, attributed to John Hewson, Philadelphia, c.1775-1785. 30" square. Object # 1965.0010 A, Winterthur Museum.
Pettit, Florence H. America’s Printed & Painted Fabrics. New York, NY: Hastings House, 1970.
Montgomery, Florence M. Printed textiles: English and American Cottons and linens 1700-1850. New York: Viking Press, 1970.
Murphy, Veronica, and Rosemary Crill. Tie-dyed textiles of India: Tradition and trade. New York, London: Rizzoli ; in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum and Grantha Corp., Middletown, N.J, 1991.
Bean, Susan S. “Bandanna: On the Indian Origins of an All-American Textile.” Textiles in Early New England: Design, Production, and Consumption, 1997, 168–83.