KeSa Fabric Swatches

The KeSa Upholstery Collection is designed and produced by textile designer Padmaja Krishnan for Phantom Hands. Padmaja's studio has a long history of creating garments and clothing from discarded fabric scraps. Phantom Hands collaborated with her to adopt the same philosophy for upholstery fabric.

The word 'KeSa' refers to single-layer garments made by Buddhist monks by sewing together rags and discarded clothing. It is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Kāsāya' referring to the garment's dark brown or saffron colour.

The fabrics used for the KeSa Upholstery Collection are 'Patchwork Textiles'—created through a process of collecting and arranging cotton fabric scraps and some new material with care into specific patterns, sewing them one piece at a time by hand, and then by machine. Making this fabric is a time-consuming, laborious process. Working with Padmaja, Phantom Hands developed specific colourways and patterns for the patchwork in order to make it work for upholstered furniture and bring it in line with the desired aesthetic. These fabric colourways were then paired with special wood finishes developed by the Phantom Hands Studio.

The underlying textiles that constitute the patchwork upholstery are made of 100% certified organic cotton. They are produced by cooperatives and organizations that have proven credentials in sustainable farming practices. Moreover, a majority of them are women centric, with certified fair wage policies.