Weave Guide · 6 min read
Banarasi Silk Fabric Online: A Buyer's Guide
Banarasi silk is the most romanticised weave in India - and the most imitated. Buying Banarasi silk fabric online is perfectly safe once you know what you are looking at. Here is what separates the real thing from the lookalikes.
What makes Banarasi, Banarasi
The weave comes from Varanasi and is built on silk, traditionally with gold or silver zari worked into the ground. The motifs - butis, jangla, shikargah - are woven, not printed. That is the first thing to check: run your eye across the surface. A printed pattern sits flat on top of the fabric; a woven one has depth and shows slightly differently from the reverse.
Zari: real, tested, or imitation
Real zari
Silver or gold-wrapped thread. It has weight, a soft glow, and ages gracefully. Expect a premium price per metre.
Tested zari
A silver-plated copper thread - the practical choice for most wedding shopping. It looks close to real zari and costs far less.
Imitation zari
Plastic or polyester thread with a metallic finish. Bright, light and inexpensive. Fine for costume and craft; it dulls with wear.
Weight and feel
Genuine Banarasi silk has a firm hand and a subtle rustle. If it feels papery or overly stiff, it is likely a blend or a powerloom copy with heavy sizing. Ask for the approximate weight and whether the silk is pure or blended - honest sellers state it.
Buying Banarasi silk online
Order from a store that photographs the actual roll in daylight, lists the width and weight, and sells by the metre. Start with a metre of any new weave to check the zari and the fall before committing to a full outfit length.
At Saroj Ensemble, Banarasi weaves and Banarasi booti dupattas sit alongside our chanderi and tissue collections - buy fabric online or see the same rolls at our Mumbai fabric stores.