India is famous for its wide variety of fabrics, especially Sarees which range about 5 metres to almost 10 metres of fabric. Saree is the traditional fabric for Women in India which are worn and manufactured skillfully from ages. Fabrics from different places or states have distinctive prints, embroidery, motifs and colours. The traditional fabrics generally possess vibrant colours and designs which attract the attention of Indian people as well as people from all over the world. So, let us have a look at some traditional fabrics of India.

1.Kanjeevaram Sarees

They are traditionally made in Tamil Nadu. They are heavy Silk sarees which have bright colours with silver or gold zari work on the pallu, border and main fabric. They are worn on special occasions by women, especially in southern India and received the Geographical Indication tag in 2005. Their production is itself a big industry and provides work to around 5-6 thousand families.

2. Banarasi Silk

It is traditionally made in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh as the name suggests. Banarsi silk is known for gold and silver zari and embroidery. The Banarasi Silk saree is decorated with intricate designs like mango leaves motifs, floral and foliate motifs and meenakari work.

3. Bandhani Sarees

They are traditionally made in Kutch, Gujarat and sometimes referred to as ‘Bandhej’. The word Bandhani originates from ‘bandhna’ which means ‘to tie’ in Hindi. Knots are tied minutely and filled with vibrant dies. When they are untied, they form perfect designs on the bright Silk fabrics.

4. Baluchari Sarees

They are traditionally made in West Bengal. Main material used in them is Silk. Their unique feature is that they have mythological stories inside blocks on them. The motifs are made with thread embroidery. They have also been given the status of GI (Geographical Indication) in India. They can be further categorized on the basis of the thread used in weaving, which are resham, meenakari and gold.

5. Chanderi

This fabric is traditionally made in Madhya Pradesh. It has a beautiful blend and mix of Cotton, Silk and zari. The Chanderi sarees have rich gold borders and also have little motifs. The yarn which is used for weaving is also very fine and of high quality.

6. Patola Silk

This is traditionally made in Patan, Guajarat. It is made from silk and is a double ikat woven fabric. Its literal meaning is “Queen of Silks”. Patola silk sarees are quite expensive due to the hard labour required to do the intricate embroidery and designs.

7. Pochampalli Sarees

They are traditionally made in Telangana. The dyeing of silk fabric is done in Ikat style, in which individual yarns are bound together and then dyed. After this process, the bindings are removed and fabrics are woven from the yarns. The cabin crew of Air India also uses Pochampalli silk sarees. These sarees are usually of two or more colours and have received the GI tag.

8. Paithani Sarees

They are traditionally made in Maharashtra. They are made up of Silk and have a rich pattern of birds like peacocks, parrots and swans. The pallav is golden with elaborate designs of ornamented zari. The art of weaving it is said to be about 2000 years old. 

9. Pashmina

It is traditionally made in Kashmir from cream coloured goat’s wool. It is considered as one of the costliest fabrics because of the tedious work required in its manufacturing. Pashmina shawls are famous all over the world. This fabric is known for its softness and warmth. It is woven into various types of clothing items like scarf, stole and shawl.

10. Phulkari

It is traditionally made in Punjab. Its literal meaning is ‘Flower work’. It uses simple tools to create beautiful designs and motifs. It contains not only flower designs but also geometrical shapes. Traditional varieties of Phulkari include Bagh, Chope, Subhar, Sainchi, Tilpatra and Ghungat bagh.

11. Sambalpuri

They are traditionally made in Odisha. They are prepared using the traditional craftsmanship of Bandhakala. Traditional motifs like chakra, flower and shankha make this fabric famous in India. The Sambalpuri fabric has a unique process of manufacturing. The threads are tie-dyed and then woven into a fabric. This process takes a long time to complete.

12. Khadi

Khadi is a handspun, hand-woven natural fiber cloth made on the ‘Charkha’. Mahatma Gandhi popularised it in the Swadeshi movement as Made in India items had to be promoted then. Thus, it has a Historical significance and symbolises the feeling of India. Khadi Kurta- Pyjamas are quite famous. This fabric is cool in summer and warm in winter.