Tekstilohko

Tekstilohko is a term used in Finnish textile arts to describe a carved or molded block used for applying patterns to fabric through block printing. The blocks are typically made of wood, linoleum, or polymer and carry a raised pattern that transfers ink or paste to the textile when pressed.

In practice, a textile designer carves a relief pattern into the block, inks the surface with a suitable textile ink, and then presses the block onto fabric using a handheld roller, a hand press, or a small printing press. Multi-color patterns require careful registration, often using separate blocks for each color and alignment marks on the fabric.

Materials and inks include wood, linoleum, or polymer blocks; inks and dyes used can be water-based textile inks, acrylic block printing inks, or thickened fiber-reactive dyes, depending on the fabric fiber and desired washfastness. Finishing often includes heat-setting or steaming to fix the image, followed by washing to remove excess ink.

History and use: Block printing is an ancient technique with origins in Asia; tekstilohko-based practice has become part of modern craft, design education, and artisanal production in Finland and elsewhere.

Related topics include textile printing and woodblock printing.