Weave Guide · 6 min read
Khadi and Handloom Cotton: Buying Online with Confidence
Khadi and handloom cotton have a texture you can feel from across a room: slightly irregular, softly grained, alive in the hand. That irregularity is not a flaw in the weave - it is the signature of cloth made on a handloom rather than a powerloom, and it is the reason these cottons age so well.
Buying cotton fabric online can feel risky when the charm of a handwoven cloth lies in its imperfections. This guide explains what the terms really mean, how to read a listing, and how to order cotton fabric online with confidence even if you have never felt the weave before.
What khadi and handloom mean
Handloom cotton is woven on a manual loom, which gives the fabric small irregularities and a soft, textured surface. Genuine khadi goes a step further: both the yarn and the cloth are hand-spun and handwoven, which is why it has a rougher, more rustic hand and a character that machine cloth cannot copy. You can often see the slubs and the slightly uneven thread in a close photograph, which is a good sign rather than a flaw.
The two terms are often used loosely, but they describe different levels of handwork. When you buy cotton fabric online, the phrase handspun and handwoven is the one to look for on a genuine listing, since it is hard to fake and easy to verify in the weave itself.
The cottons you will see
2 ply khadi
2 ply khadi uses yarn twisted from two strands, which makes it stronger and slightly smoother than single-ply cloth while keeping the handloom character. It is the version most often recommended when you buy cotton fabric online for everyday kurtas, shirts and co-ord sets.
The twist also helps the fabric hold its shape after washing, so 2 ply khadi softens with use rather than stretching out at the elbows and knees.
Handloom cotton and plain weaves
Handloom cotton without the khadi name is usually mill-spun yarn woven on a manual loom, which gives a smoother surface with a little irregularity. Plain single-ply weaves are the lightest of the group, breathable and full of texture.
Both are excellent in Indian weather because they breathe, wick and dry quickly. In humid months, that breathability is the difference between comfortable and clammy.
Why they cost what they cost
Handwork takes time. Spinning and weaving by hand cannot match the speed of a powerloom, so genuine khadi and handloom cotton carry a price that reflects the hours behind them, and that price is also a quality signal when you buy cotton fabric online.
A suspiciously cheap listing is usually a powerloom cloth wearing a handloom name, and the difference shows in the first wash, when the surface flattens and the softness the listing promised never arrives. Pay for the handwork, and the cloth pays you back in years.
Checking a listing before you order
- The words handspun and handwoven, stated together.
- Whether the cloth is single or 2 ply.
- The approximate weight, since khadi varies by count.
- Colourfastness notes for naturally dyed pieces.
- The return policy on cut lengths.
Caring for these cottons
Washing
Wash cold or on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent, and expect a little shrinkage in the first wash. It is normal for handloom cotton and settles after one or two cycles, so add a little allowance when you buy cotton fabric online for a fitted garment.
Drying and ironing
Dry in shade to protect the colour, and iron while slightly damp on a medium setting so the texture stays soft rather than flattened. Steaming revives creases without pressing the weave flat, which keeps any cotton fabric online purchase looking new for longer.
What to make with them
Kurtas, shirts, summer dresses, relaxed jackets and even structured blouses once you add a lining. The texture makes simple silhouettes look considered, which is why designers keep returning to these cottons for understated luxury.
For print, handloom cotton takes dye unevenly in the most beautiful way, giving naturally dyed pieces a depth that mill cloth rarely matches. Order a metre first if you are new to it, and let the fabric tell you what it wants to become. Pre-washing that metre before cutting is a habit worth keeping with any handwoven cloth, since it settles the shrinkage before a tailor ever touches it.
Buying cotton fabric online from Saroj Ensemble
Saroj Ensemble carries single-ply and 2 ply khadi and handloom cotton by the metre, with the weave and weight named on each listing. You can buy cotton fabric online for delivery across India, or feel the texture for yourself at our five Mumbai stores.
Handloom cloth is best judged in the hand, so if you are near one of our stores in Mumbai, ask to compare a single-ply and a 2 ply khadi side by side. Either way, buy cotton fabric online from a seller who names the weave honestly, and the cloth will age into something better than new.