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Indic Handlooms
Region · South

Tamil Nadu.

Home to Kanjivaram silk and Madurai cottons — temple-town weaving traditions tracing back centuries.

Tamil Nadu’s handloom heritage centres on the temple town of Kanchipuram, where silk sarees have been woven for at least four centuries. The state also produces fine cotton in Madurai and the lesser-known Arani silks.

Field guide
Weaves from Tamil Nadu.
All weaves
A maroon-and-gold Kanjivaram silk saree on the loom at Kanchipuram
File № 04 Tamil Nadu

Kanjivaram

South India’s temple silk — woven in Kanchipuram with three-shuttle technique, contrasting borders, and pure mulberry silk.
Yellow and purple warp threads on a traditional Tamil cotton handloom
File № 19 Tamil Nadu

Madurai Sungudi

Tamil Nadu's temple-town cotton — block-printed or hand-dyed in turmeric and reddish browns, light enough to wear in 40°C and historically dyed in temple tanks.