The best place in Vadodara to shop for handprinted dress material, Baroda Prints was established more than 50 years ago. It sells ethnic and traditional wear, tops, skirts, sarees and salwars. Its designs are exquisite and handprinted in bright colours that Gujarat is known for. You can also shop for home materials like bed sheets and covers here. Most of their products use the traditional hand-block printing technique. Ajarakh, matani-pachhedi, batik and saudagiri are some of the woodblock prints that Gujarat is famous for.

A wide range of textiles is artistically decorated through the method of printing on textiles with incised wooden blocks. Even though it is a slow and a manual process, the products have high aesthetic value. A variety of patterns are carved onto teak wooden blocks, which are then dipped into coloured paste and pressed onto the cloth to form complicated designs. The cloth is kept soaked overnight and then repeatedly washed to make quality products.

Woodcarving is an ancient art form that can be commonly seen in most temples and homes in the state of Gujarat. You can also find exquisite carvings on tea pots, table lamps, stools and kids’ toys. There are mainly three types of carvings that can be found in Gujarat- the Hindu work that is mainly focused on idols of the deities (Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha are favourites among wood carvers); the kind found in Muslim houses with abstract and geometric patterns and the intricate carvings and floral motifs found in the balconies of old houses. The best examples of fine woodcarving can be found within projecting balconies and floors of mansions in Vadodara. Door frames, lintels, shafts, inlay work that uses coloured wood and plaques are all examples of this handicraft.

You can easily shop for wooden souvenirs in any market in Vadodara. While exploring the markets, you can buy chairs, cradles, stools, idols, chiselled boxes, chests, cupboards, swings and so much more. The wood-carving community, across Gujarat, is known as 'mewara mistris'. Sometimes, pieces of plastic, bone, metal and fine wires are also used to make carvings and patterns on wood. Most of the inlay work is done on teak, rosewood or sandalwood. Bahuv wood is sometimes used to make replicas of fine artefacts. To further enhance the aesthetic value of the woodcarving, mistris also embellish mirrors into the products.

The state of Gujarat is often known as Moti Bharat across India for its gorgeous beadwork handicrafts that require stringing together more than three beads of different colours and styles. The art form is used to make home décor items. Beadwork also produces jewellery, including necklaces, bangles and earrings. The art originated from the Saurashtra region and spread to Rajkot, Bhanagar, Amreli and Junagadh districts, apart from Ahmedabad.

The tribal artisans of Panchmahal and Vadodara make stunning traditional bead jewellery and ornaments. When the bead patterns are worked on and wrapped around solid objects such as pots, the resultant three-dimensional product is breathtaking. Pretty motifs are used to decorate the items. The beads are often stitched on cloth to produce attractive garments like scarves and dupattas. When the beads are firmly stitched together with lot of intricate work, they can also be used to make bags.

The town of Sankheda, about 50 km from Vadodara, is renowned for its lacquerwork, which is a beautiful craft practiced on country wood. Sankheda’s art form is the perfect example of brilliant craftsmanship in terms of woodworking, woodturning and handpainting. This art is mostly practiced by the artisan community of Kharadi Suthars, who make colourful wooden furniture. The community prefers to use handheld tools and rather simple methods. The tradition of handpainted furniture in the region is said to have been in existence since the 1800s. Wooden blocks are turned on lathes (machines that rotate a workpiece about an axis to perform operations like cutting, sanding, drilling, etc.). The wooden piece is then shaved and smoothened for a rounded shape. Each piece is then painted in bright colours like vermillion and green and is mostly bordered by gold or silver hues. Simple and delicate floral patterns, peacock motifs and abstract drawings are used for decoration. A brush of very fine hair is used for the painting. When all the pieces are prepared, they are coated with lacquer and drilled to create space for tongue and groove and other joinery equipment. The pieces are then put together to create furniture that is simple yet stunning. Apart from furniture, lacquerwork is also used to make wooden temples.