Buying Guide
How to Spot an Authentic Chanderi: Five Telltale Signs
Power-loom Chanderi imitations are flooding the market. Here are the five checks — sheen, sound, weight, butis, and the GI tag — that take under a minute.
6 May 2026
The Journal
Articles & stories on Indian handlooms
Buying guides, weave histories, regional explorations, and care notes — written for anyone who wants to look at a saree and see the story behind it.
Featured · Buying Guide
Why Chanderi Is India's Perfect Summer Saree
Sheer, silk-cotton, weightless on the shoulder — there's a reason Chanderi has been the go-to summer saree of north India for four centuries.
9 May 2026
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Buying Guide
Chanderi vs Maheshwari: Which Should You Buy?
Both are silk-cotton, both come from Madhya Pradesh, both look similar to the untrained eye. Here's how to tell them apart and which suits which occasion.
30 Apr 2026
Buying Guide
How to Identify an Authentic Banarasi Silk Saree
A practical, hands-on guide to spotting genuine Banarasi sarees — what to feel for, what the reverse should look like, and the GI tag check.
1 May 2026
Artisan Stories
Why Patola Sarees Take a Year to Weave
The mathematics of double-ikat — and the reason a single Patan Patola can carry a six-figure price tag.
22 Apr 2026
Trends
The Quiet Revival of Bengali Tant Cotton
Once written off as everyday wear, Tant has become the unlikely hero of contemporary Indian wardrobes.
10 Apr 2026
How To
A Beginner’s Guide to Indian Saree Drapes
Beyond the Nivi: nine regional drapes that show how a single six-yard cloth becomes a hundred different garments.
2 Apr 2026
Care
Caring for Silk Sarees: A Practical Handbook
Storage, folding, dry cleaning vs. home care, and what to do when zari starts to oxidise.
25 Mar 2026
Buying Guide
What the GI Tag Actually Guarantees
Geographical Indication is everywhere on saree labels. Here is what it does and does not certify.
12 Mar 2026