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The Ancient History of Handwoven Fabrics in India
The art of creating Indian handlooms finds its roots back to the ancient era. A madder-dyed scrap of fabric discovered at Mohenjo-Daro demonstrated that our ancestors happened to know how to grow cotton, spin the yarn, weave cloth, and dye yarn with natural colors around five thousand years ago! The legendary priest-king figurine discovered at Mohenjo-Daro showcased a statue of an aristocratic-looking man bedecked in a shawl on one shoulder. The trefoil design adorned over the shawl demonstrates that our forefathers not only knew how to weave and dye, but they also masterfully executed the technique of block printing.
Another fact about Indian handlooms is in regard to the Romans’ admiration for Indian Handwoven Fabrics . Indian textiles were highly prized in the Roman Empire during the first century CE. Back then, the handwoven textiles were christened "Nebula Ventalis," which translates as "cloud from woven air." While the ancient history of the Indian handloom industry seems to be a never-ending tale that we would like to talk about some other time, it is its making and types that we would like to highlight in this article. That’s right! Let’s learn the 'its and bits' about handwoven fabrics and explore the finest fabrics you can find at WeaverStory right away.
A Glimpse of the Indian Handloom Industry
Handlooms are pieces of clothing that are produced entirely by hand without the use of electricity or resulting in pollution. Furthermore, the absence of mechanization provides the weavers with a multitude of opportunities to cut down on waste as well as encourages them to engage in sustainable practices. As a matter of fact, the handloom industry has also been identified as the second-largest employment sector in India, following agriculture. Due to this fact, handlooms are an imperative part of the Indian textile industry.
Handloom, for most of us, refers to garments handed down to us from our grandmothers or mothers. These special garments include heirloom silk Sarees, handwoven shawls, etc. from their wardrobes that we adorn ourselves in on special occasions. India is home to various craft clusters, considering that different weavers from various states of India weave different kinds of fabrics. You can find the Chanderi weave in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh; the Banarasi weave in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh; and the Pashmina in Kashmir, to name a few.
WeaverStory Handwoven Fabrics
As you know, our love for Handwoven Fabrics has always been on the rise, and everything about them is engraved in our very roots, which not only resembles our values but also allows us to bring to you a fraction of the finest creations of Indian craftsmen. While we have talked extensively about Banarasi Sarees, Pashmina Shawls, and other handloom artworks, we realized that the basics of handwoven fabrics are what you must know about. We offer some of the finest Handwoven Fabrics, especially crafted with love, care, and precision, for you to tailor-make your Handwoven Sarees, suits, lehengas, and many more fashionable garments out of them. Let’s give you a tour!
1. Cotton Silk
As the name suggests, cotton silk fabric is a perfect blend of two distinct fabrics—cotton and silk—wherein the features of both are precisely blended to make a single, supremely elegant fabric. This lightweight, silky weave is a breathable, soft, and highly durable fabric you can use to make handwoven suits, Sarees, and dupattas. For a more stylish look, you can use fabrics like our Olive cotton silk fabric to make two-piece sets you can wear in casual settings.
2. Tussar Silk
The luxurious Tussar silk fabric is a kind of wild silk that is made from various species of silkworms that feed on plants like Arjun and Asan. These fabrics are incredibly beautiful, making them ideal picks for a designer lehenga or a supremely elegant silk saree. Handmade sarees crafted with this material deserve to be treasured for generations.
3. Pure Katan Silk
Katan silk is one of the most prominently crafted fabrics in India. Most popularly handcrafted by ingenious Banarasi artisans, the lustrous, soft, and extremely durable fabric is often employed in the making of exquisite silk Sarees, designer dress, suits, and gowns, as well as in the making of the most enticing Lehenga of all time. WeaverStory boasts the widest range of Katan silk handlooms you would love to add to your cherished closets. Fabrics like our red katan silk masterpiece serve as heirlooms you would not only like to rock through various occasions but also save for future generations.
4. Moonga Silk
Considered one of the rarest silks in the world, moonga silk is a kind of wild silk that finds its origins in the land of Assam. The magnificent fabric is highly coveted by people across the globe for its extraordinarily lustrous texture, unrivalled aesthetic appeal, and impeccable durability. Regardless of whether you choose to make handwoven suit out of it or go down the road of creating a slinky drape for a scene-stealing appearance on various special occasions, this fabric is destined to take center stage.
5. Tissue Silk
Tissue silk fabrics are exquisitely appealing, translucent fabrics that are highly sought-after for their sheen and luster as well as the unexampled craftsmanship that can be seen on each masterpiece. The blend of silk yarn and delicate zari threads used in making such a work of art makes it a great choice for crafting eye-catching handwoven dupattas you can adorn on a variety of outfits.
6. Dupion Silk
Dupion silk refers to a plain-weave silk fabric, crafted by employing fine yarn in the warp along with uneven yarn reeled from two or even more intertwined cocoons inside the weft. WeaverStory offers a wide range of Dupion silk fabrics meticulously handcrafted for you to get yourself a tailor-made, enticing handwoven saree or perhaps even a graceful lehenga. You can even use one of our dupion silk masterworks to make your casual or traditional dress suits.
Other than these, you can find exquisite fabrics like organza, tissue chanderi, and satin silk at WeaverStory. Handwoven Fabrics are truly gorgeous items that can serve to customize your wardrobe with one-of-a-kind handlooms. From casual settings to traditional ones, handwoven fabrics seamlessly add oomph to your style merely by their aesthetic appeal. Stay tuned to WeaverStory to explore the widest range of Handwoven Fabrics right from the comfort of your home.
Author: Simran Shaikh
