When we say the word ‘silk’ all that comes to our mind is a fabric with immense shine and a lovely fall. We also go on to think of the silkworm and most of us consider Kanchipuram as a silk fabric. If you fall under this category of people, we would like to inform you that you are highly misinformed!!!

No offense meant here; however, Kanchipuram is a small town in Tamil Nadu just like Banaras or Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Also, there are many other silk fabrics apart from Kanchipuram silk. We have Banarasi silk, Chanderi silk, Raw silk, Organza silk, Mulberry silk, and several others. To understand the differences better, we would suggest you visit Chinaya Banaras!

Before going any further, it is imperative to understand silk. Silk is a natural fabric that originated in the 4th millennium BCE in China. It was first found in the Indus Valley between 2450 to 2000 BC. Asia is the largest producer of silk and a consumer at the same time. Around 75% of silk is consumed by the population of Asia. Asian women have treasured silk fabrics for decades now. 

In this article, we will talk all about silk fabrics!

Banarasi Silk

As the name suggests, the Banarasi silk finds its origin in the holy city of Banaras or Kashi in Uttar Pradesh. This type of silk is made from pure mulberry silk and is considered one of the finest drapes among all silk fabrics. Banarasi silk is known for its extensive brocade work and embroidery. Often found as sarees, the Banarasi silk has designs inspired by the Mughals like peacocks, flowers, and others. 

It takes around 15 days or more to weave a Banarasi silk traditional six-yard saree. Whenever you buy one, make sure you look for the GI tag and Silk Mark India for its authenticity. Alternatively, websites like Chinaya Banaras offer the best and most genuine Banarasi silk products right from sarees to salwar suit sets and even lehengas. 

Chanderi Silk

Chanderi silk is a lightweight silk fabric that has silk and gold zari weavings in cotton yarn. This shimmery silk fabric originated in a small town called Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. The chanderi silk fabrics have buttis or nature-inspired motifs like that of swans, fruits, or heavenly bodies. 

Chanderi silk products are often hand woven with the help of different needles. There are separate needles to create different motifs. This is one of the silk fabrics that is gaining popularity with each passing day.

Raw Silk

Raw silk, also known as Paat in Eastern India is one of the most delicate fibers. This silk form finds its origin back in the Indus Valley Civilization around 2570 BC. Today, Indian cities like Bhagalpur and Pochampally are the highest raw silk producers. Raw silk involves the intertwining of silver threads into the fabric. Over the years, raw silk has evolved into different forms like muga silk, mulberry raw silk, tussar raw silk, and so on.

Organza Silk

Organza silk originated in China. It is crispier, fluffier, and light in weight as compared to other silk fabrics. Besides, the organza silk fabric is transparent and is a perfect pick to create layered or ruffled designer party wear attires.

This handwoven delight has two single fibers twisted together to form a yarn. The yarn is treated with acid before being woven into a fabric. This makes the fabric stiff. Organza silk has intricate embroidery that adds to its overall beauty. 

Now that you have your knowledge of silk fabrics in place, make sure you lay your hands on them only from authentic dealers like Chinaya Banaras.

At Chinaya Banaras, you will find a huge variety of silk fabrics and attires for every occasion and what’s more, they are genuine!