Our story
Neelgar brand was founded in 2005, Neelgar offers silk, scarves, stoles, saris, shawls, and yardage, focusing on research, revival, reinvention, and design to market high-quality handcrafted products. Kamaldeep recognized a disconnect between traditional crafts and younger generations, leading to innovative designs that preserve these traditions. Neelgar emphasizes fair trade, women’s empowerment, sustainability, and creative innovation.
Kamaldeep Kaur studied fashion in Delhi in 1996, then joined J.J. Vallaya and later GURJARI in 1997, where she learned the deep connection between crafts and craft communities. Neelgar was born to create a market for traditional crafts, with Kamaldeep working globally, adapting designs for international markets. She has represented India in over 25 countries, participating in prestigious events like the Cheongju International Craft Biennial and Messe Kunst und Handwerk. Neelgar became fully functional in India, expanding to dupattas, sarees, stoles and kurta fabrics, with collaborations from top designers like Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.
On a trip to Jaipur, Kamaldeep encountered the Neelgar community, known for specializing in indigo dye. Her deep fascination with the color earned her the nickname NeelKamal. Indigo, derived from plant leaves, is a complex natural dye with cultural stories like Chinese farmers wearing indigo-dyed cotton to protect against snake bites. For the 1st ten years of their journey, Neelgar focused only on natural dyes and created various shades of indigo across different textile techniques.
