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Indic Handlooms
File № 17 Silk GI 2005

Mysore Silk.

Mysore Silk · ಮೈಸೂರು ರೇಷ್ಮೆ
Definition

Karnataka's state-produced pure silk crepe — uniform sheen, restrained zari, woven at the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation in Mysuru since 1912.

Town Mysuru
State Karnataka
River Cauvery
First woven 1912 (KSIC est.)
GI status GI 2005
Active weavers KSIC (industrial)
Photo: Singanna · CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia)

Karnataka's state-produced pure silk crepe — uniform sheen, restrained zari, woven at the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation in Mysuru since 1912.

01 Section 01 · Origin

Tipu, the Wadiyars, and KSIC.

Karnataka's relationship with silk began under Tipu Sultan in the 1780s, when he imported mulberry sericulture from China. The craft was institutionalised in 1912 when Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV established the Mysore Silk Weaving Factory — today the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) — at Mysuru, to produce silk for the royal household.

Mysore Silk received its GI tag in 2005. KSIC remains the protected proprietor: only sarees made at its Mysuru plant can be sold as Mysore Silk.

02 Section 02 · Technique

Pure silk, restrained design.

Mysore Silk is woven from 100% pure mulberry silk — 14/16 denier, twisted to a near-perfect circular cross-section that produces an even matte sheen. The cloth is GSM-graded: 90 GSM (lighter, for daily wear) or 120 GSM (heavier, for formal/bridal).

The zari composition is GI-protected: 65% pure silver, 0.65% gold, drawn over a silk core. The motifs are restrained — a simple buti field with a contrast border and a more elaborate pallu — privileging the silk's quality over surface decoration.

03 In-store authenticity

How to spot a real one.

Field check · five checks
  1. 01 KSIC hologram Every genuine Mysore Silk carries the holographic KSIC tag with an embroidered unique serial number. No hologram = not Mysore Silk.
  2. 02 Silk Mark certificate Look for the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) label — guarantees 100% natural silk.
  3. 03 Even sheen Mysore Silk Crepe has a uniform matte sheen, not a high gloss. A flashy "Mysore Silk" is polyester-blend.
  4. 04 Burn test A loose thread of mulberry silk burns slowly with a hair-burning smell and leaves crushable ash.
  5. 05 Weight check 90 GSM sarees weigh 400–450g; 120 GSM are 450–550g. Outside these bands suggests substitution.
04 Care & storage

Living with it.

Dry-clean only
KSIC officially recommends dry-cleaning. Home washing dulls the zari.
Wrap in muslin
Store in cotton or unbleached muslin. Avoid plastic sleeves that trap humidity.
Iron on low silk setting
Use a silk-pressing cloth and avoid direct iron on the zari areas.
Annual airing
Air for a couple of hours in shade once a year to prevent fold-line dry rot.