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.
Chanderi has had GI protection since 2005, but that hasn't stopped the imitation market. A power-loom "Chanderi" can sell at one-fifth the price of the real thing. These five checks separate the two in under sixty seconds.
1. Hold it up to the light
A real Chanderi is famously sheer — you should be able to see your hand through the body when held up. Power-loom imitations use polyester blends that are denser and far less translucent.
2. Crumple test
Crumple a corner of the body in your fist and release. Genuine Chanderi silk-cotton recovers almost immediately, with no sharp creases. Polyester imitations crease visibly and stay creased.
3. Listen to it
Rub two layers of the body together near your ear. Real Chanderi makes a soft, dry rustle (the unscoured silk). Imitations are silent or make a slick, plasticky sound.
4. Examine the butis
Hand-woven butis on a real Chanderi show small irregularities and have visible loose threads on the reverse where they've been tied off. Machine-printed or embroidered "butis" on imitations are perfectly identical and the reverse is flat.
5. Demand the GI tag
Authorised Chanderi sarees from registered weavers in Ashok Nagar district carry a Geographical Indication tag with a hologram and unique number. Reputable sellers display it without being asked.