What is the difference between reversible quilted placemats and canvas block print placemats?

Reversible quilted placemats are made of two layers of printed cotton joined by diamond-pattern stitching, offering two different designs on each side. Canvas block print placemats, such as the Cheope model, use a stiffer canvas fabric with a single decorated layer printed using carved wooden blocks. The quilted version is soft and enveloping; the canvas version is structured and flat.

How do you wash hand-printed cotton placemats?

Cotton placemats can be machine-washed at 30°C on a delicate cycle. To preserve the vibrancy of the hand-printed colours, avoid bleach and tumble drying. Dry flat or on a clothes airer in the shade. Indian cotton grows softer with every wash without losing its colour intensity, and any slight tonal variations are characteristic of artisanal printing.

How many placemats do you need to set a complete table?

For a four-person table, we recommend a set of four placemats in the same design — for example Liberty placemats for a uniform effect. However, one of the most popular trends is mix & match: combining different designs from the same colour palette creates a lively, personal table. For a table of six or eight, simply add a second coordinating design.

What is block print, the technique used on Fabindia placemats?

Block print is an Indian textile printing technique that uses hand-carved wooden blocks dipped in colour and pressed onto the fabric with precision. Each hand-printed cotton placemat bears the subtle variations that make every piece unique — a slightly thicker line, a colour that fades at the edges of the block. This artisanal process, passed down through generations, distinguishes handmade textiles from industrial production.

Which table textiles pair best with cotton placemats?

Cotton placemats pair perfectly with printed cotton napkins in the same pattern or in a contrasting colour. For a complete table setting, add a cotton table runner down the centre. Quilted cotton pot holders bring the same aesthetic into the kitchen, creating visual continuity between preparation and service.

Hand-Printed Cotton Placemats

Placemats

Fabindia Roma cotton placemats dress the table with an artisanal detail that makes all the differenc...

Fabindia Roma cotton placemats dress the table with an artisanal detail that makes all the difference. Designs crafted by hand in India, available in two finishes — reversible quilted cotton and canva...

The collection includes reversible quilted cotton placemats, each featuring two coordinated patterns that let you change the look of your table simply by flipping the fabric. The Cairo quilted placemat brings an oriental-inspired geometric design, while the Capri quilted cotton placemat and the Liberty quilted cotton placemat play on floral and liberty motifs. The Fuchsia placemat brightens the table with vivid tones, the Rodi quilted cotton placemat recalls Mediterranean blues, and the Rice Fields placemat offers a green, natural landscape.

Alongside the quilted range, canvas block print cotton placemats offer a more structured texture and a bold graphic line. The Cheope block print placemat echoes pyramidal geometries, the Iris hand-printed cotton placemat features a refined floral motif, and the Stella placemat presents a star design printed with hand-carved wooden blocks.

Cotton placemats naturally combine with printed cotton napkins and Indian cotton table runners from the same textile collection, creating a cohesive, artisanal table setting. The cotton kitchen accessories — oven gloves, pot holders and bread baskets — share the same print and quilting quality.

Every Fabindia Roma cotton placemat is the result of entirely manual craftsmanship: from cutting the fabric to printing with wooden blocks, to the machine stitching or quilting that joins the two layers. Machine-washable at low temperatures, cotton placemats keep their colour and shape wash after wash, becoming a lasting part of the everyday table.