"Silk Sarees: A Timeless Elegance and Cultural Legacy"

The saree or sari, after having survived hundreds of years of changes, invasions, and colonizations, has now emerged as a much-fancied, glamorous, and sexy outfit, seen adorned by beautiful women all over the world.

The sari gives a woman a sense of luxury, grace, elegance, and femininity like no other. Sari is an attire that flatters the female form and, if draped well, can also help hide a few faults here and there. A saree is definitely an attention-grabber, whether on the red carpet, at a friend's wedding, or at an office party. There is a saree for every occasion. The saree makes the woman wearing it feel like a princess, glamorous, beautiful, and special.

The saree is truly the most versatile garment. The same saree can be draped in several different ways, worn with different kinds of blouses, even trousers, and accessorized in numerous ways. Sarees come in a whole range of different fabrics, colors, patterns, with different prints, etc.; there is literally no end to the kind of variety one can have in the wardrobe with just a few sarees.

A saree is essentially a drape. A long, unstitched, decorated drape. This gives it a lot of potential to be worked with. Whichever way one drapes it, it works. This also gives designers a lot of freedom and creative potential to explore. The wearer can also have different looks with the same piece of clothing. Thus, though the saree has been around for centuries, its ways and styles have changed and evolved to suit the current styles, and it continues to evolve and change without changing the basic elegance and feminine delicacy of the drape.

A few reasons why the saree has survived as a fashion garment over centuries

It is versatile. The saree can be worn or draped in several different ways. Within India, there are as many different draping styles as there are states. To name a few, the Gujarati draping style, the Rajasthani draping style, the Bengali draping style, the Maharashtrian way of wearing a saree, styles from the South, etc. To learn how to drape your saree in different styles, read our article here. Draping is made easy with the saree pleat maker and saree magnetic clips. Apart from the traditional styles, one can experiment with other new ways. Even the older traditional styles can be sported with a contemporary twist.

It is sensuous and sexy in its appeal. No other garment flatters the female form as the saree. The fluidity of the drape offers a very feminine and sensuous appeal to the wearer.

For every occasion, There is a saree for almost all occasions, be it an office party, festival, romantic dinner, wedding, get-together with friends, etc. The saree can be differently accessorized and made to look casual or festive.

Glamor quotient: One feels special and glamorous, like a princess in a saree. The saree is luxurious and flamboyant.

Variety: It comes in numerous varieties of material, colors, work, and style. One can wear it with different kinds of blouses.

It is constantly reworked and re-invented by designers, making it more and more contemporary while keeping the essential elegance intact.

And the above are also the reasons why sarees have captured the fancy of many women outside India and have the potential to become an international fashion garment, like maybe jeans or evening gowns.

Saree has been ruling the ramp and is all set to conquer the world with its elegance, versatility, and sheer beauty. Therefore, for the very same reasons that the saree has survived the tests of time, it will continue to make its mark in the fashion industry, in new fascinating avatars, for years to come.

Silk, the queen of textiles, dominates the textile industry with its lustre, sensuousness, and glamour. The history of silk goes back 4,500 years. India is the second-largest producer of silk, contributing to about 18 percent of world production. It will be interesting to mention who the first one is.

Today, the silk weaving tradition in India revolves around the sari, the ethnic traditional wear that is worn in most parts of the country. The Indians dress themselves in elaborate and colorful silk sarees on festive occasions. The vibrant colors, light weight, resilience, excellent drape, etc. have made silk sarees the irresistible and unavoidable companion of Indian women. Indian silk is popular all over the world with its variety of designs, weaves, and patterns.

How are silk sarees manufactured?

Silk, one of the oldest known fibers, is a protein fiber produced by the silkworm by spinning around its cocoon. The entire process, starting from the eggs until the worms are grown up and cocoons are formed (illustration), The silk farmers let the caterpillars that make the largest cocoons turn into moths. The moths then laid eggs, and the eggs hatched out more caterpillars, making even bigger cocoons. Over the centuries, the size of the cocoon has increased, and silkworm cocoons are now much bigger than the cocoons of other caterpillars. At least half a mile of continuous thread may come from one cocoon.

The silk threads are then dipped in color liquid and used to prepare the colorful silk saree. The Chinese are the ones who started manufacturing the silk sarees. Out of the numerous species of silk moths, scientists have enumerated about 70 silk moths, which are of some economic value.

The four commercially known varieties of natural silk are

(1) Mulberry silk

(2) Tussar or Oak Tasar silk

(3) Muga silk and

(4) Eri silk.

Although the bulk of world silk supply comes from the silk moth Bombyx mori, which is domesticated, the other varieties of silk are known as wild silk, as they are grown in remote forest trees in natural conditions.

Mulberry silk

It comes from the silk worm “Bombyx mori,” which feeds on the mulberry plant. In India, the major mulberry silk-producing states are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Eri Silk

Also known as Endi or Errandi silk, it is thick, warm, soft, rare, and very long-lasting. India is a major producer of Eri silk. It is grown in Assam and the eastern parts of India. It is also found in Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa. Eri silk is produced by Philosamia ricini, which feeds mainly on castor leaves.

Muga Silk

The pride of Assam is known for its natural shimmering golden yellow color. It is obtained from a semi-domesticated multivoltine silkworm, Antheraea assamensis. These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of som and soalu plants. Muga silk, a high-value product, is used in products like sarees, mekhalas, chaddars, etc.

Oak Tasar silk:

Less lustrous than mulberry silk, Tassar silk is used mainly for furnishings and interiors. Tasar silk is generated by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta, which mainly thrives on the food plants Asan and Arjun. It is cultivated in the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, and Orissa, besides Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. A wide range of silk fabrics are produced at different production centers, both handlooms and powerlooms.

 A brief account of the range of fabrics is furnished below, as it is known by its popular names:

a) Plain Silk Fabrics: Fabrics ranging from 20 gm to 70 gm are produced in this category using both handloom and powerloom. The fabrics are available as per the requirements in different shades as well as in checks and stripes. Beautiful pin stripes are a specialty for shirting. Plain silk is mostly used by exporters for making ladies blouses, fashion garments, make-up, and scarves. Deluxe and super-deluxe qualities are also produced as per specific orders.

(b) Dupion Fabrics

A specialty of Bangalore Handlooms, Dupion is the craze of the west. Produced out of twisted filature warp and dupion weft, it is available in different quality ranges and shades. Dupion checks and stripes are elegant in look. Mainly used for dress material, cushion covers, and furnishings, Dupion is a popular name among overseas silk importers.

(c) Charka Silk: Using filature in warp and charcoal in weft, a thicker fabric is made on handlooms. For most of the zari decorative sarees, charka yarn is popularly used by the sari manufacturers.

(d) Chiffon: Using highly twisted yarn, a thin but strong fabric is produced on power looms, which, after processing and finishing, attains a soft and smooth texture. Chiffons are used for varied end-uses for ladies garments and scarves and sleeves.

(e) Chinnon: This is also produced from highly twisted filature in power looms. After the final processing and finishing, the fabric gets a soft but crimpy effect. Chinnon is ideal for ladies dresses and scarves and stoles.

(f) Crepe: Produced from 2-ply twisted yarn of’s’ and ‘z’ twist and woven on a power loom, crepe is used for varied uses. Mysore crepe saris are very popular on the domestic and export fronts.

(g) Organza: a very thin fabric produced from highly twisted yarn. After a starchy finish, the fabric gets a rough texture. Organza is used as sari material as well as for embroidered garments.

(h) Satin

Silk satins are a popular variety of fabric used for a variety of purposes. When made into dresses, satin gives an elegant look. Banarasi Satin Saris are popular for export and domestic markets.

(i) Tabby Silk

A type of plain silk fabric is produced in Kashmir. Tabby silk is mostly used for printed saris and scarves.

(j) Murshidabad Silk

A popular silk fabric is produced in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Used mainly for saris and scarves, the fabric is available in different qualities known as 16s, 18s, 20s, and so on.

(k) Matka Fabric

Using Matka yarn for both warp and weft, a thicker fabric is produced mostly for furnishing. The fabric mostly produced in Bhagalpur is a very popular export item at present. By using multiple yarns, the texture and thickness of the fabrics can be modified according to their intended use.

(l) Ahimsa Silk Usuma Rajaiah, of Hyderabad, has come up with an initiative to produce silk without the killing of silk worms.

The silk sarees of India are among the living examples of the excellent craftsmanship of the weavers of the country. Their mastery lies in the creation of floral designs, beautiful textures, fine geometry, durability of such work, and not the least, the vibrant colors they choose for making sarees. Many states in the country have their own variety of makes in silk as well as weaving centers with their traditional designs, weaving, and quality. The silk varieties are renowned for the place where they have been woven.

Banaras is one of the leading silk weaving centers in India. Amru silk, Jamvar, Navarangi, Jamdani, etc. are the types of Banaras Saris in which Amru silk brocades with a heavy pallu of flowering bushes or the flowering mango pattern are very famous.

Maharashtra is famous for its Paithani silk saris, generally with gold-dot designs, and mulberry silk from Ramnagar Bangalore district.

Patola silk, known as the pride of Gujarat, is noted for its bright colors and geometric designs with folk motifs.

Madhya Pradesh is famous for Chanderi, Maheshwari, and Tussar silk saris. The specialties of these saris are the contrasting colors and depictions of animal and human figures on the sarees.

Silk Bomkai Sambalpuri saris from Orissa come in single and double ikat weaves. Murshidabad in West Bengal is the home of the famous Baluchari sari, in which untwisted silk threads are used for weaving brocades. In the south, heavy silk saris from Tanjore, Kumbakonam, and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu are known for their broad decorative borders and contrasting colors. Kancheepuram silks have an enviable position among the best silk sarees in the country for their texture, luster, durability, and finish. Kolegal and Molkalmoru in Karnataka are known for their simple ikat weave with a parrot motif on the borders.

Sarees have been a passion for every South Indian female. With regard to the silk sarees in Tamil Nadu, they got their name from the location where the sarees were made. Like kancheepuram, aarani, thirubuvanam, etc., but now-a-days people look for more and more varieties. Hence, the vendors started introducing new patterns in silk sarees, giving them new names like vasthirakala, parampara, samuthriga, vivaha, bridal seven, etc. Most of them are traditional silk sarees with additional stone work or added colorful embroidery.

A wide range of ladies and men’s clothing, like dupattas, sarees, salwars, sherwanis, caps, handkerchiefs, scarves, dhotis, turbans, shawls, ghagras, or lehengas, and even quilts, bedcovers, cushions, and tablecloth curtains, is made of silk. In short, Silk has been mingled with the life and culture of Indians.