Blockprinting in the Netherlands

At the Katoendrukkerij in de Volmolen in the traditional town of Amersfort in the Netherlands, you can attend block printing courses and also stay overnight in the listed building in two tastefully furnished rooms.

The organiser is Nathalie Cassee, who visitors to Textile Art Berlin also know under the brand name Kashmir Heritage.

De Katoendrukkerij – artisanal workshop in cradle Amersfoort
From October 2020, De Katoendrukkerij will be based in the national monument De Volmolen in Amersfoort. Crafts, heritage and art take centre stage here. De Katoendrukkerij is a young cultural organisation and propagates the centuries-old craft of cotton printing in the historical cradle of Amersfoort. The first cotton printing factory in Europe was also in Amersfoort in the 17th century. The printed and painted cotton, also known as sitch, was brought to the Netherlands from India by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Two VOC merchants from Amsterdam set up the first cotton printing factory in Amersfoort. The founder of the VOC was also from Amersfoort, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt.
Besides workshops and guest lecturers, we also organise lectures, debates and exhibitions. Various rooms can be rented and there are 2-person B&B rooms. The central location, the atmospheric workshop and the special overnight location offer an ideal starting point for a creative retreat. Amersfoort is centrally located in the Netherlands and is easily accessible by public transport and car. The historical city centre of Amersfoort is lovely to wander through, there are a number of beautiful museums and good restaurants. Diagonally across from the Katoendrukkerij is the city brewery De Drie Ringen, a chocolaterie is 150 metres away and the Broodatelier is 200 metres away.
De Katoendrukkerij is a unique craft workshop, specialised in one of the oldest printing techniques, cotton printing, also known internationally as block printing. We print with wooden hand-engraved printing blocks on textile and paper. In addition to lessons at various levels, we also offer customised work. Both in commissioned printing and in tailor-made printing blocks. We have our printing blocks made from hardwood in our workshop in India. The collection includes about 900 different motifs. We regularly collaborate with other craftsmen, designers and artists in various teaching, design and/or art projects. Since 2021 the craft of cotton printing has been added to the Inventory of Intangible Heritage of the Netherlands.