Glossary

Art Silk

Art Silk is a generic term used to describe fabrics which mimic the look and feel of pure silk but use man-made (or artificial) yarns to offer strength and durability to the fabric while also bringing the cost down. The cost benefit can vary from marginal to significant, depending on the design.

 

Blended

The universe of yarns and threads has become too wide to put them under any one category. Different types of yarns are often blended together to create new textures and looks, while keeping the cost down.

 

Brocade

Brocade uses a supplementary, non-structural, weft thread to weave motifs in addition to the standard weft that holds the warp threads together. The term almost always refer to weaves which specifically use zari or metallic threads to weave motifs.

 

Cutwork

Cutwork technique is the same as Brocade, ie, it uses a supplementary, non-structural, extra-weft thread to weave motifs in addition to the standard weft that holds the warp threads together. The floating extra-weft is then cut to bring out the design pattern distinctly. It can be said that Cutwork is often used to denote sarees that, unlike Brocade, make minimum or no use of zari in motifs.

 

Ikat

Pochampally, Ikat & Patola, essentially refer to the same technique of weaving, which is a cross-over between printing and weaving. Here, the design motifs are first printed, or resist-dyed, onto the warp or the weft threads, or both, and then diligently woven into a fabric or saree. The distinguishing factor that makes the sarees exclusive and surreal is the fact that the dye is applied to the threads instead of the face of the woven cloth. The main difference between a Pochampally and a Patola, both using the Ikat technique, is that of geography and the design language.

 

Kadhuan

Kadhuan is a discontinuous Brocade handloom weaving technique whereby every motif is woven individually on the handloom. Unlike continuous brocade where the extra-weft runs across the width of the fabric creating motifs, and then cutting the floats, Kadhuan does not have any cuts as there are no floats. This helps to achieve sharper motifs, and offers more creative possibilities in color combinations. The absence of cuts at the back also makes the fabric relatively more comfortable. The time taken to weave a Kadhuan Brocade varies from 80 man hours to more than 500 man hours depending on the design and the number of colors used.

 

Kadiyal

Kadiyal, also known as Korvai, is a handloom technique used to weave borders which are in stark contrast to the main body fabric. Requiring two or three master weavers, and as many shuttles, the body weft is prevented from running over to the border thus offering a distinct separation of the main body from the borders otherwise not possible.

 

Katan Silk

Katan, the fabric, uses Mulberry Silk for both the warp and weft, mulberry, being the most prominent, and perhaps the finest, varieties of silk yarns used to weave sarees, the other three varieties being Eri, Muga & Tassar. Compared to the other three, Mulberry is finer and has more lusture. The feel of the final product may, however, vary depending on the thickness of the yarns and the twisting method used.

 

Kora Silk

Kora Silk, also known as Organza Silk, uses Resham, ie pure un-degummed silk in the warp and the weft. 

Kora Silk Sarees are exclusive, light weight, & delicate. The yarns are typically fine thus yielding a sheer look to the final product.

 

Patola

Pochampally, Ikat & Patola, essentially refer to the same technique of weaving, which is a cross-over between printing and weaving. Here, the design motifs are first printed, or resist-dyed, onto the warp or the weft threads, or both, and then diligently woven into a fabric or saree. The distinguishing factor that makes the sarees exclusive and surreal is the fact that the dye is applied to the threads instead of the face of the woven cloth. The main difference between a Pochampally and a Patola, both using the Ikat technique, is that of geography and the design language.

 

Pochampally

Pochampally, Ikat & Patola, essentially refer to the same technique of weaving, which is a cross-over between printing and weaving. Here, the design motifs are first printed, or resist-dyed, onto the warp or the weft threads, or both, and then diligently woven into a fabric or saree. The distinguishing factor that makes the sarees exclusive and surreal is the fact that the dye is applied to the threads instead of the face of the woven cloth. The main difference between a Pochampally and a Patola, both using the Ikat technique, is that of geography and the design language.

 

Raw Silk

Raw Silk Sarees typically use fine Resham (un-degummed silk) warp and Raw Silk Weft. Raw Silk, as the name suggests, refers to yarns which are pure silk in composition but are not processed and are often un-degummed. Usually having a coarse texture, Raw Silk fabrics can have a matte finish or the silken sheen based on the level of processing.

 

Summer Silk

Summer Silk, refers to a lighter version of pure silk fabrics where the warp is usually Resham (un-degummed silk) or Katan (de-gummed silk) and the weft is a twisted silk yarn. Summer Silk Fabric is a cross-over between Katan Silk and Georgette, being pure silk in composition but having a more granular texture compared to Katan Silk.

 

Tasar Silk

It uses pure Tasar Silk threads in the weft. Tasar, usually has a copper-ish tinge, unless dyed, and is less lustrous and coarser than the more commonly used Mulberry Silk.

 

Tissue

In a tissue fabric or saree, metallic threads/ zari are used in the warp, or the weft, or both, in conjunction with pure silk, or cotton threads, to give a surreal sheen to the woven fabric.

Depending on the proportion of zari used and the weave, the tissue effect can range from subtle to exotic.