You know, ethical shopping matters a lot to me. In fact, it matters a lot to our entire generation (millennials), and it’s the same story for Gen-Z as well. Sustainability, local for vocal, preserving traditional arts and crafts, artisan communities, and creativity are things that our cohorts are passionate about. That’s why I always try to make ethical choices while buying my sarees too. The story is the same for my favourite Jamdani sarees too. I will get to why I think these sarees are extra-special in a moment.
But, let me tell you, how I discovered their magic! It was a friend who casually said one day that she had bought a Jamdani saree online. This intrigued me, since I’d always thought (with my limited ideas) that these sarees were exquisite handloom creations that could not be bought online. This piqued my interest, and I started exploring these sarees online and learnt more about them. Finally, I looked for the best place to buy them, since the average Jamdani saree prices were too costly, even in Kolkata and online platforms from other cities. This led me to several interesting things indeed. I’ll mention them after I’ve highlighted some of the unique things about these sarees that captivated me.
The Magic of Jamdani Sarees- Why I Fell for Them
To me, ethical shopping means buying directly from the weavers or at least from brands that source them directly from these traditional artisan communities and craftsmen. This also ensures a fair price, while doing its bit towards upholding and sustaining the entire ecosystem. Now, coming to Jamdani sarees, they intrigued me from the outset. After doing extensive research, here’s what I learnt about them (things that attracted me).
- The rich history of Jamdani sarees was a huge attraction. This hand-woven and finely patterned textile comes from Bengal.
- The technique of crafting them is painstaking and time-consuming, where the extra-weft motifs almost appear to float on the sheer-textured fabric.
- I was thrilled when I learnt that Jamdani comes from Persian and means flower vase. This probably explains the floral designs that these sarees often flaunt.
- The intricate and hand-woven design is a treat to look at, while the motifs are woven into the fabric with a lot of care.
- The fabric is super-fine and made of the best cotton (muslin), with the sheer and transparent ground. They are extremely breathable and light sarees, making them ideal for our climate.
- I was also happy to know that the hand-woven procedure is both environment-friendly and sustainable. This is way better than choosing machine-made and mass-produced textiles.
All these things absolutely blew my mind and I started looking for the finest Jamdani sarees in Kolkata at fair and reasonable prices (based on what I thought was fair). Also, the ethical bit mattered a lot to me as well. However, I found most platforms lacking the direct weaver connect, while some could not furnish the certification/authenticity mark. Also, most of them had exorbitant prices, which meant that they were not a direct-from-weaver brand. So, I was initially disappointed once I began my online search.
How I Discovered the Ultimate Destination for Jamdani Sarees
Despite everything, you’ll be happy to know that I could finally discover a fantastic destination to purchase Jamdani sarees. Also, surprisingly, it was my boyfriend who recommended this boutique brand without knowing much about it. He only knew about my fascination for Jamdani sarees and how I was not finding the right products online. He casually mentioned that he’d come across Tamal Boutique online, and gone through their Jamdani collection. All he could tell me was- why don’t you try it, they seem to have a huge collection, and the prices seem fair to me.
I didn’t trust him, since he’d never shown an interest in these things before! However, it was sweet of him to have recommended the brand to me. I visited their portal, explored the Jamdani collection, and boy was I hooked! The vast collection was irresistible (I wanted to buy every single Jamdani saree if I had the money!), while the pricing was literally low and competitive. Then I read reviews and learnt more about them, how they directly work with weavers, how they support the traditional artisan communities, and it became an ethical choice for me. The delivery and support processes were super-smooth and hassle-free as well. In fact, I treated my boyfriend to his favorite Biryani due to this casual suggestion that completely transformed my wardrobe! I am very happy being a regular customer and will gladly recommend Tamal Boutique to anyone and everyone. It’s a great place for Jamdani sarees in Kolkata, particularly if you’re looking for better prices and authenticity