Screw Pine Craft of Kerala is a craft of weaving of mats using leaves of the screw pine plants, practiced mostly by women. This craft has been in existence for more than 800 years. The mats produced by screw pine has a significant role in the traditional customs of Kerala. Important visitors to homes were offered these mats as honoured articles to be sat upon.
Screw pine is a plant that grows along the banks of rivers and streams. The leaves of these plants are fibrous and have sharp thorns on both edges. Artisans of Kerala use these leaves to make exquisite crafts and articles.
Screw pine belongs to Pandanaceae family. Botanically it is called Pandanus odoratissimuc Linn or Pandanus fascicularis. The plant species are categorized into male and female on the basis of the quality of the leaf and the size of the plant. The leaves of Kadakkaitha, Aanu Thazha (male screw pine) and Pennu Thazha (female screw pine) are used in the making of mats and various products.
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Craftsmen prefer the female plant for its fine subtle leaves than the male plants coarse leaves. The two-ply screw pine mat consists of a fine upper layer and a coarse bottom one, with stitching at the edge. Super fine mats are made of very fine screw pine leaf splints placed 8 to 10 per inch. High quality mats of up to 22 splints per inch can also be made by experienced artisans.
The work of cleaning the screw-pine leaves before they can be used is done very carefully. The spine is removed using a coconut fiber and the tender leaf cleaned carefully. Cleaned leaves are spilt in half without disturbing the original length of leaves.
These long and narrow leaves are boiled and transferred and kept in fresh water overnight. The leaves are dried and within one or two days it becomes ivory in colour. Once dry the leaf is straightened using a knife and kept rolled and bundled until the weaving begins. The weave used is with one weft leaf going diagonally between two warp leaves
The splints are either woven in their natural ivory colour or are dyed in various shades. The dyed screw pine, when woven has an interesting shaded affect, which is based on the variations of the natural base colour.
For value addition embroidery is done on the finished product. The required pattern of the embroidery is traced on a tracing paper and the paper is stitched on top of the product. The embroidery is done using the paper as a guideline. After the embroidery is finished, the paper is torn from the top of the product.
Finer varieties of these mats were also used as bed for sleeping. Thazhapaya (bed mats in Malayalam language) are believed to alleviate arthritic pain. Thadakku is of lower quality mats whereas Methapaya or Kachipaya are superior quality fine mats.
The products being made with screw pine include table mats, floor mats, cushion covers, coasters, bags, box covers, beach hats, handbags and wall hangings.
GI Tag Registration Date : 22 April 2008
GI Tag Number : 58
Certificate Number : 66
Geographical Area : Kerala
Special Cover Release Date : 12 October 2021
Cancellation : Thazava 690 523
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : KL-17/2021
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Enlarged View of Cancellation
Back Side Scan
The logo of Screw-pine craft of Kerala is also registered under GI separately. However the issued cover does not cover any specific data related to logo. No other cover is also issued for logo. Details of GI tag registration and the image of logo is given below for information.
GI Tag Registration Date : 31 March 2016
GI Tag Number : 518
Certificate Number : 261
Geographical Area : Kerala
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