FAQ

Zari or Zari Work as it is known, is an intricate art of weaving threads made of fine gold or silver. These threads are further woven into fabrics, primarily made of silk to create intricate patterns. The designs are so exquisite that apart from the monetary value attached to these threads, the fabric also gets an overall rich & a beautiful look. The art of Zari has been associated with the Aristocratic & Royal Persona in India for a long time. It is one of the most famous & elaborate techniques in metal embroidery. For long, Zari has been an art associated with the aristocratic and royal persona in India. In Persian, the art is known by the term – Zardozi.

Origin and History of Zari Work
It is believed that the word Zari originated in a village by the same name in ancient Persia (Iran of today) where artisans used the skill of weaving thin threads of gold and silver onto fine fabrics of silk. The art was brought to India by Persian migrants between 1700-1100 BC – the period of Rig Veda. However, zari work flourished during the Mughal era under the patronage of Emperor Akbar.

The Making
Zari is produced by twisting a flattened metallic strip made from pure gold, silver or a metallic polyester film around a yarn made of silk, cotton, polyester etc. These zari threads are processed to increase the brightness of gold plating, giving it an aesthetic look.

Zari is categorized into 2 major categories types:

1. Real Zari: It is made of pure gold & silver. Due to the high cost of pure gold and silver, Real Zari is sought after by the very rich and discerning. While Clothes with pure Zari are expensive, it does have resale value.

2. Tested Zari: This type of Zari can be further subclassified as –

• Imitation Zari: It is made of silver or gold electroplated (thinly) copper wire. Imitation Zari was used as a replacement for silver. However, with increasing prices of copper too, even Imitation Zari is produced in a rather limited way. Imitation Zari can also be called as 1gram gold or 1 gram silver depending on how much gold or silver is electroplated on the copper wire.

• Metallic Zari: It is made of slitted polyester metallized film. Metallic Zari is the work which is in vogue as it weighs quite lightly compared to pure gold and silver or for that matter copper. It is also affordable and more durable compared to Real Zari and Imitation Zari.
Clothes with Zari are generally made-to-order in case of Real Zari or Imitation Zari, whereas Metallic Zari can be bought off the shelf. Clothes with pure Zari are expensive, it does have resale value, while fabrics with Tested Zari do not carry any resale value.

Zari contains the weaves of gold and silver. The metal, specially the silver weaves react to the atmospheric air and looks dull & old.

• To maintain its shine, the best thing is to wrap them in soft cotton or a muslin dhoti. This prevents them from any reaction.
• To avoid the work or Zari getting pulled by your jewelry, stitch a net behind it so the knots and weaves don’t loosen up.
• Always maintain washed and unwashed Zari sarees separately.
• Never wrap used sarees immediately after change, spread them for a few hours so that the sweat dries and then hang them in hangers for further use.
• Dry cleaning is best for Zari sarees but if you plan to wash them, wash in a mild soap water, rinse well and dry it in shade immediately.
• For the fine cosmetic or food stains, use a soft bristled toothbrush on the sequins and beads to get rid of them. Wiping the embroidery or sequins with a damp cloth and drying them under fan will maintain the new look forever.
• Never wrap the heavy Zari blouse with the sarees, always keep them separately on hangers. Every once in a week you can hang dry them in sun to keep clean (away from fungus) for long.

Uppada saree also known as Uppada Jamdani Saree is originally from Bangladesh and was brought to India in the 18th century. The settlers from Bangladesh settled in Uppada near East Godavari district, in Andhra Pradesh and the name of the Saree is know as Uppada saree. The name Jamdani in the Uppada Jamdani Sari is a Persian terminology, in which Jam means flower and Dani means Vase. Uppada saree typically takes 10-60 days and most of the weavers of Uppada are women. The length count of threads is 100 and the breadth count is 100 in the weaving process of Uppada Silk sarees. Jamdani made in Uppada has two weavers working on a single loom and weaving delicate and beautiful designs on the fabric by zari work. Since this is an art practiced solely by hands, it takes two painstaking months before a superb piece of work is finished. The specialty of the design is that it blends into the cloth and cannot be felt by the hand, separately from the surface of the cloth. Secondly, the design is uniformly visible on both sides of the cloth. Further, no loose threads can be seen on either side of the design. Since the entire design is hand woven without using any mechanical device, the designs would be strong and durable.

Kuppadam Silk Sarees and Fabrics are produced by performing handicraft weaving in Kuppadam, a village in Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Kuppadam saris are unique variety, woven from silk and has the most characteristic features such like zari on the border and no woven designs on the body. These kuppadam pattu sarees generally come in dual color combination, such as body of the saree in one color and the border in other color and the weavers makes the magic in weaving the sarees with a dark and lite color combinations.

Kanchipuram Silk is a type of silk saree made in the Kanchipuram region in Tamil Nadu, India. According to Hindu mythology, Kanchi silk weavers are the descendants of Sage Markanda, the master weaver of Gods who is supposed to have woven tissue from lotus fiber. Also, while cotton is considered to be the favourite fabric of Lord Shiva, silk was preferred by Lord Vishnu.

The sarees are woven from pure mulberry silk thread. The pure mulberry silk used in the making of Kanchipuram saris comes from South India and the zari comes from Gujarat. To weave a Kanchipuram sari three shuttles are used. While the weaver works on the right side, his aide works on the left side shuttle. The border color and design are usually quite different from the body. Pallu is first separately woven and then delicately joined to the saree. The joint is woven so strongly that even if the sarees tears, the border will not detach. That differentiates the these sarees from the rest. Kanchipuram sarees are distinguished by their wide contrast borders. Temple borders, checks, stripes and floral (buttas) are traditional designs found on a Kanchipuram sarees. The patterns and designs in the kanchipuram sarees were inspired with images and scriptures in South Indian temples or natural features like leaves, birds and animals. The silk is also known for its quality and craftsmanship, which has helped earn its name.

A Silk Cotton saree is made by combining two fabrics that are used widely: cotton and silk. Sarees of this hybrid fabric have been accepted widely across the country and the world. They are cheaper and more popular than pure silk sarees. As the cotton silk sarees are made of silk and cotton, they can be worn in all types of weather conditions. They are so comfortable and light weight that you can wear them in both summer and winter. Cotton keeps you cool throughout the day, whereas silk adds to the gorgeousness of the saree. Cotton silk sarees are available in both shiny and normal fabric

• A red and black striped cotton silk saree is perfect for an office party. Team it with a golden coloured blouse and statement earrings for an elegant look.
• Handloom cotton silk sarees are perfect for casual occasions.
• If you want to look slim, opt for cotton silk sarees in dark colours. You don’t have to always wear an Anarkali to look slim. Sarees in dark colours like royal blue, purple, and black will make you look slim and attractive
• Sleek borders are in vogue. When you are buying a Banarasi Silk works saree, you should always choose a saree with sleek borders as they make you look slim and tall.

• Linen is a fabric used widely in the fashion industry and is made of fibers that are procured from the flax plant This fabric is known for being extremely sturdy, durable as well as highly absorbent, which is why is it used not just to create clothes but also to make towels, tablecloths, bags, aprons, napkins and cushion covers. Linen is one of the oldest fabrics and the earliest evidence of it being manufactured dates back to Egypt, approximately 4,000 years ago. Clothes made from this fabric were worn by the wealthier members of society as it is slightly harder to manufacture linen when compared to the manufacturing of other fibers and fabrics. It is through trade that linen eventually reached Ireland, where one of the most systematized means to actually produce flax have been documented. Once this fabric was filtered into England, it came to India during the British Rule.

• *Making of Linen*: Linen is basically a bast fiber, which means that this is a fiber that is obtained from the inner section of the bark of the plant (also known as the phloem) which is why is has superior tensile strength when compared to other fabrics. The fibers are then pulled away from the stalk and this is done through a process known as “Retting”, wherein bacteria is used to decompose the natural pectin that acts as an adhesive and binds the fibers together. After this, the stalks are submitted to another procedure called “Scutching”, in which all the wooden portions present in the stalk is removed completely by crushing the stalks between metal rollers. The fibers are then separated from the mass. Finally, the fiber undergoes “Heckling” process in which the fibers are basically separated from each other with the help of a comb and spun into yarn.

• The fabric is extremely popular as it is extremely cool and makes it very conformable to wear during hot summer days. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/linen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bast_fibre

• Garad (also known as Garod) silk is the quintessential Bengali saree. It is one of the popular styles of saree that has its origin in West Bengal. Also known as Gorod, the word Garad means ‘White’. Garad silk sarees are distinguished by its red border and small paisley motifs. Silk fabric used to weave Garad sarees is not dyed which keeps the purity factor of the fabric intact and therefore these sarees have a sacred importance to the women in Bengal. The Murshidabad district of West Bengal specializes in weaving these Sarees wherein the silk yarns are woven close together which imparts the fine texture to the sarees.

The Fabric and its Making – The Garad Silk is manufactured from Tussar or Mulberry Silk and is not dyed to retain the natural color of silk. The color white is regarded as a symbol of purity; hence women prefer to wear a Garad Saree for special occasions and religious ceremonies. Bengali women prefer not to stitch a fall in these sarees to preserve its sacred quality and wear it in its purest form.

The Garad Silk & Korial Saree Connect – The Korial Saree is a close alternative to the Garad Silk Saree. West Bengal is a rich state producing different types of sarees like Taant cotton sarees, Baluchari Sarees, Dhakai Jamdani sarees, and Batik Sarees, along with Garad silk sarees. But, there is another style of Bengali saree which resembles the design and looks of Garad silk sarees, and is known as Korial sarees. Every Bengali women no matter in which corner of the world she resides, prefer to own at least one Garad or Korial saree in her closet.
• The border of Garad sarees are distinctive in colors, mostly red and maroon which gives it a rich look. On the other hand, Korial saree (also known as laal paar sari) is also identical to Garad saree except the border which is more intense in design and rich red in color. What distinguishes Garad saree from Korial saree is that the former contains small floral and paisley motifs across the length of the saree while the latter is plain white in color with red border. Korial saree is mostly worn while sindoor khela during Durga Puja.

Maintenance – Garad silk sarees should preferably be dry cleaned or hand washed with mild detergent.

Garad saree is made out of silk. Silk weaving has come down from ancient times in Bengal. Kausheya vastra, ‘wild-silk’ weaving in Bengal is mentioned in the Arthashastra, a treatise on economics by Kautiliya, written around 300 B.C. The silk weavers of Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum still weave wild Silk, Tasar, for many use.

They are very fine, pure silk sarees, and their texture resembles tissue paper. They are quite light-weight and easy to carry. These sarees are also comfortable to wear during humid atmosphere and soak sweat like magic

• Tant – It is traditionally a Bengali saree made by weavers from all over Bangladesh and West Bengal. These sarees are typically used as a daily use and therefore are typically low cost saree. Tant saree are woven from cotton threads and distinguished by its lightness and transparency. It is considered to be the most comfortable saree for the South Asian hot and humid climate
• Tant Saress are known for thick border and decorative Pallu, woven using a variety of floral, paisley or other artistic motifs. Some of the polular and common ones are -: bhomra (bumble bee), tabij (amulet), rajmahal (royal palace), ardha-chandra (half moon), chandmala (garland of moons), ansh (fish scale), hathi (elephant), nilambari (blue sky), ratan chokh (gem-eyed), benki (spiral), tara (star), kalka (paisley) and phool (flower). Printed, hand-painted and embroidered patterns are also used to get a larger variety of designs

Weaving Technique
Bundles of cotton threads coming from the mills are first washed to remove any chemicals, sun-dried, bleached, again dried, and then dipped in boiling coloured water to dye them. They are then starched and processed some more to make them finer and stronger. The threads are wound on bamboo drums to feed them into the loom for weaving.
Every tant saree is characterized by the design on its border, pallav and body. These designs are drawn by an artist and transcribed onto soft cardboards by perforating them which are then suspended from the loom. Now all is in place for the weaving to begin. The simplest of tant sarees take about 10-12 hours to weave. More intricate designs could even take 5-6 days to complete a saree.

Types – Tant sarees can be classified based on the region where they are woven, or the motifs depicted on the sarees. The major regions of tant production in West Bengal today are:
o Fulia and Shantipur (in Nadia): Combining the weaving styles of the original Shantipur weavers and the migrant weavers from Tangail who settled in Fulia, this region has developed the “Fulia Tangail” style of weaving and produces among the best quality tant sarees today. These tants are soft and fine in texture, come in vibrant colours and have large, intricately woven motifs.
o Dhaniakhali (or Dhonekhali in Hooghly): Tant sarees from this region are of good quality, mainly come in pastel shades and have striped patterns and fewer motifs.
o Begampur (in Hooghly): Begampur specializes in loosely woven, light-weight and translucent sarees in deep, bright colours.
o Kalna (in Burdwan): Tants from this region are based on the Tangail style of weaving.
o Atpur (in Hooghly): This town was known for producing coarser sarees and dhotis for everyday wear. The term “Atpoure” which means “common wear” denotes the Bengali style of wearing sarees which used to be the traditional way of draping for women of this region.

Maintenance – It is recommended that before the first wash, tant sarees should be soaked briefly in warm water mixed with rock salt, to prevent the saree from bleeding colour during subsequent washes. Washing with a mild detergent, followed by starching and then hanging them to dry in a shaded area will ensure the longevity of these cotton sarees.

References
• Tant saree. In Wikipedia, Retrieved 21 March 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tant_saree
• “Phulia”, Retrieved 21 March 2015, from http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/Phulia
• “Bengal Handloom”, Retrieved 21 March 2015, from http://www.westbengalhandloom.org/htm/beng_hand.html
• “Woven Dreams: Tant Sarees of Bengal (Fulia & Shantipur”, Retrieved 21 March 2015, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/12497371/Woven-Dreams-Tant-Saris-of-Bengal-%28Fulia-Shantipur%29

• Dhakai Jamdani – Jamdani is one of the finest muslin textiles of Bengal, produced in South Rupshi of Narayanganj district in Bangladesh for centuries. amdani was originally known as Dhakai named after the city of Dhaka, one of many ancient textile weaving centers in Bengal region.

• Weaving- Whether figured or flowered, jamdani is a woven fabric in cotton, and it is undoubtedly one of the varieties of the finest muslin. It has been spoken of as the most artistic textile of the Bangladeshi weaver. They are traditionally woven around Dhaka, Bangladesh, and on the brocade loom. This is a supplementary weft technique of weaving, where the artistic motifs are produced by a non-structural weft, in addition to the standard weft that holds the warp threads together. The standard weft creates a fine, sheer fabric while the supplementary weft with thicker threads adds the intricate patterns to it. Each supplementary weft motif is added separately by hand by interlacing the weft threads into the warp with fine bamboo sticks using individual spools of thread. The result is a myriad of vibrant patterns that appear to float on a shimmering surface. What’s remarkable in this weaving technique is that the pattern is not sketched or outlined on the fabric. Instead, it is drawn on a graph paper and placed underneath the warp. Jamdani is a fine muslin cloth on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white. Often a mixture of cotton and gold thread were/was used.
Bengali women like to wear these sarees in all sorts of events. Intricate detailing and elaborated ornate design are the distinctive features of this saree. Beside that floral motif and handwoven geometrical shapes crafted by the weavers make this saree more alluring which gives you a perfect ethnic look. As these sarees are made up of pure cotton fabrics, it provides comfort and a classy look. Here you can find exclusive Dhakai jamdani Sarees with vibrant colors.

Maintenance – It is recommended that before the first wash, Dhakai sarees should be soaked briefly in warm water mixed with rock salt, to prevent the saree from bleeding colour during subsequent washes. Washing with a mild detergent, followed by starching and then hanging them to dry in a shaded area will ensure the longevity of these cotton sarees
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamdani#Varieties_of_jamdani_work

Apart from the traditional kurtis, you can effectively pair western tops with leggings and look equally attractive. Some of the top designs would include:

• A button up plaid tunic- you can also go for a simple oversized tunic or no buttons tunic to get that laid back look.
• Oversized sweater or cardigan
• Tunic t-shirt with jackets

You can pair all of the above clothes with thigh high boots. Scarves can serve as a necessary accessory with this.

You would know the size of your jeans, choose a leggings of comparable size. Go for leggings that are not too tight around your knees as it would not only irritate your skin but also might rip off. Check that the waist is not very tight. In order to measure the size of your waist, do it by putting a tape around your waistline. Make you sure that you choose leggings of the right height as there are many choices available. You can also measure your hips and inseam in order to get the best fit.

It is important to wash your leggings properly in order to increase its longevity. You would need to wash them properly by taking the leggings inside out. Do not wash them more than required as it might hamper the quality of the clothes. You should also check the care label in order to understand how you could wash the leggings properly. Make sure that you do not use fabric softener or bleach as it may wear your leggings off. Dry the garments properly before putting them in the wardrobe.

The choice of the leggings fabric depends on your skin and the occasion for which you wish to wear them. First of all, go for a leggings fabric that you are not allergic to. Then think whether you wish to buy the leggings for workout or for normal outing purposes. You can wear fully cotton or a mix of cotton and spandex for general outing purposes. During workout, you would want the leggings to soak your body sweat and polyester or spandex leggings can do this best.

Winter-friendly leggings that can be worn when the temperature falls down would include fleece lined leggings and these are seamless leggings which are made up of fleece material. These are light-weight, easy to wear and are extremely comfortable. You can also wear woolen material leggings or the rayon ones as they would help you to keep warm during the summer seasons.