Swathi Design

Find your saree by fabric and weave

A saree name can describe its fabric, how its pattern is made, or a regional tradition. Start with the look you love, then check the individual piece for composition, drape and finishing.

Fibre and fabric

Silk, cotton and linen describe materials. Organza and tissue describe fabric types. A fabric can contain a blend, so the name alone does not tell you its fibre percentages.

Weaving and dyeing

Ikat patterns begin with dyed yarns before weaving; Bandhani patterns are made by tying and dyeing cloth. Kadhua describes how motifs are woven. These terms answer a different question from what the fabric is made of.

Family and style

Kanjivaram, Gadwal and Paithani name different textile traditions. A collection name helps you explore a style; the product details and our team can help you confirm a particular piece.

Explore a style

Our online selection is part of what we offer. Ask us about a style even if you do not see it listed.

A guide to the names

Use these terms to narrow your preferences. For a pure fibre, a specific weaving method or a particular origin, ask us to confirm the individual product details before ordering.

Regional traditions

Kanjivaram / Kanjeevaram / Kanchipuram

Saree tradition

Kanjivaram is the saree tradition associated with Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, known for silk and contrasting borders. Traditional korvai borders and petni pallus join different sections during weaving, while contemporary constructions vary.

Ask about fabric composition, zari and the weight of the saree you like.

Kanchipuram silk saree buying guide

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Learn more: India Handloom Brand

Kanchi Gadwal

Combined listing term

Kanchi and Gadwal refer to different saree traditions. A listing that combines the names needs a closer explanation of its body, border and pallu; the combined name does not establish a single weaving tradition or fabric composition.

For Kanchi Gadwal pattu or linen styles, ask which parts are silk, cotton, linen or a blend, and request details of the weave and origin.

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Kanchi Cotton

Cotton saree style

Kanchi Cotton should be considered separately from Kanjivaram silk. Look for cotton or a stated cotton blend in the product fabric details.

Ask about body and border composition, especially when comparing cotton, silk-cotton and silk sarees.

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Uppada Jamdani

Saree tradition

Uppada Jamdani comes from coastal Andhra Pradesh, with additional pattern threads woven into the fabric to form motifs. It has a history in fine cotton, while documented silk versions use mulberry silk with silk or zari pattern threads.

Check the composition and request close views of the motifs and reverse when comparing cotton and silk versions.

Uppada Jamdani: Weave and Saree Choices

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Learn more: India Handloom Brand

Mangalagiri

Saree tradition

Mangalagiri is an Andhra Pradesh weaving tradition associated with distinctive Nizam borders and comparatively simple saree bodies. Cotton is a foundation of the tradition, while local production also includes silk and silk-cotton versions.

Confirm the fibre content and view the border and body together, especially when comparing plain, printed and embellished versions.

Mangalagiri Sarees: Fabric and Border Guide

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Learn more: Guntur district

Mysore Silk

Regional silk tradition

Mysore Silk is associated with Mysuru in Karnataka and the silk-weaving heritage preserved by Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation, or KSIC. KSIC's documented range includes zari crepe and printed silk sarees, offering different surface designs within that tradition.

For a piece specifically offered as KSIC Mysore Silk, request its maker identification and product details; compare the zari and fabric construction too.

Mysore silk history and weaving

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Learn more: KSIC

Banarasi Silk

Regional silk tradition

Banarasi silk belongs to the weaving traditions of Varanasi, also called Banaras. Brocade versions combine a silk ground with decorative pattern threads, often featuring floral or leafy motifs and a metallic effect from zari.

Compare the base fabric, motif technique and zari coverage to choose the drape and level of decoration you prefer.

Banarasi silk weaving and motifs

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Learn more: India Handloom Brand

Kota Doria

Regional fabric tradition

Kota Doria is a light, open-textured weaving tradition from the Kota region of Rajasthan, recognized by small woven squares called khat. Cotton-silk combinations are common, and the open structure makes transparency an important part of choosing a piece.

Request the fibre composition, loom and origin details, plus a close-up and an opacity check.

Kota Doria Sarees: Checks and Sheer Drape

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Learn more: India Handloom Brand

Bhagalpuri Tussar

Regional silk style

Bhagalpuri points to the textile centre of Bhagalpur in Bihar, while tussar or tasar identifies a silk type. The region produces tasar and mixed-silk fabrics, so the fibres in both warp and weft help identify the composition of a particular saree.

Confirm the weaving origin and the fibre content of both thread directions when comparing Bhagalpuri pieces.

Bhagalpuri Tussar: Silk Saree Buying Guide

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Learn more: Bihar Handloom and Sericulture

Pattern and craft

Patola

Ikat tradition

Patola is associated with patterned ikat textiles. For a particular saree, ask whether its pattern is made with single ikat, double ikat or another process.

A similar-looking motif does not establish the weaving technique; confirm the details of your chosen piece.

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Kanchi Ikat

Combined listing term

When Kanchi and Ikat appear together in a listing, confirm what each term describes. An ikat-like motif is not proof of yarn-dyed ikat, Kanchipuram origin or pure silk.

Ask whether the pattern is woven using resist-dyed yarns, whether it is single or double ikat, and what the body and border are made from.

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Chikankari

Embroidery tradition

Chikankari is an embroidery tradition associated with Lucknow, with delicate stitched motifs and effects such as shadow work. Classic white-on-white embroidery on fine muslin has expanded to coloured threads and varied base fabrics.

Ask about the base fabric, embroidery method and lining separately, since Chikankari describes the needlework rather than the fibre.

Chikankari Sarees: Embroidery and Fabric

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Learn more: Development Commissioner (Handicrafts)

Jamdani

Pattern-weaving technique

Jamdani creates motifs during weaving by adding pattern threads to the fabric's ground weave. The tradition is closely associated with fine cotton textiles of Bengal, while regional adaptations such as Uppada also include silk versions.

Ask where the piece was woven and what its ground and pattern threads contain; technique and fibre are separate details.

Jamdani Sarees: Motifs, Fabric and Drape

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Learn more: UNESCO

Dhakai Jamdani

Regional weaving tradition

Dhakai Jamdani refers to the Dhaka-associated tradition of Jamdani weaving in Bangladesh. Its patterned, traditionally fine cotton fabric uses woven motifs, with Dhakai identifying the regional connection within the wider Jamdani family.

Request the weaving location, fibre composition and a close view of the motifs when comparing pieces carrying the Dhakai name.

Dhakai Jamdani Sarees: Fabric and Motifs

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Learn more: Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Patan Patola

Double-ikat tradition

Patan Patola is the double-ikat weaving tradition of Patan in Gujarat, with both lengthwise and crosswise yarns tied and dyed before weaving. Its motifs come from the alignment of dyed yarns rather than a surface print.

Ask for the weaving location, fibre composition and close-ups of the actual saree; a Patola-style motif alone does not establish Patan origin.

Patan Patola and double ikat explained

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Learn more: Patan district

Ajrakh Silk

Printed silk style

Ajrakh names a block-printing and resist-dyeing tradition rather than a silk fibre or weave. An Ajrakh silk saree combines that decoration with a silk base, whose fabric and place of weaving are separate from the printing process.

Ask about the silk, whether the piece is hand-block printed, and which dyes and care instructions apply.

Ajrakh Silk Sarees: Print and Fabric Guide

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Learn more: Development Commissioner (Handicrafts)

Kantha Silk

Embroidered silk style

Kantha is a Bengal embroidery tradition known for running-stitch work. A Kantha silk saree brings that embroidery together with a silk base, so the fabric and stitching each contribute to its appearance and feel.

Ask which silk is used, whether the embroidery is by hand or machine, and for close-ups of both sides.

Kantha Silk Sarees: Stitch and Fabric Guide

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Learn more: Development Commissioner (Handicrafts)

Fabric and weave terms

Raw Mango style

Supplier style

In our catalogue, Raw Mango is a supplier fabric or style term. Check the composition in the individual product details; the name does not mean that every piece is raw silk, a fixed colour, or a product of the designer brand Raw Mango.

Compare the fabric specification and a close-up of the weave before choosing.

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Banarasi Katan

Silk fabric term

Katan is a silk yarn and fabric term used in Banarasi textiles. The weave, embellishment and construction affect how an individual saree feels and drapes.

If you want a lightweight Katan saree, ask about that piece specifically rather than assuming all Katan has the same weight.

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Georgette

Fabric type

Georgette is a light, crepe-textured fabric made with tightly twisted yarns that create its fine grain or crinkle. It can be made from silk or manufactured fibres, so its texture and fibre content describe different qualities.

Ask for the fibre content, weight and a drape video, and check coverage with the underlayer you plan to wear.

Georgette and chiffon compared

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Learn more: Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council

Satin Shimmer

Weave and appearance terms

Satin is a weave whose longer yarn floats create a smooth, reflective surface, and it can use silk or manufactured fibres. Shimmer describes a light-catching look, so the actual weave, fibres and finish still need to be identified for a particular saree.

Ask what creates the shine and request a close-up or short video in ordinary light.

Satin Shimmer Sarees: Shine and Drape

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Learn more: Museum of Fine Arts Boston — CAMEO

Choosing a saree in the United States

For a US occasion, share your delivery ZIP code and event date, then confirm the final price, fabric, blouse details and delivery timing before ordering.

Browse all sarees | Shopping for sarees in the USA | Saree care guide