Have you heard of Dhakai muslin sarees? Chances are you have! Most saree lovers and connoisseurs know how fine and original Dhakai muslin sarees are highly coveted, not just in India, but also worldwide. Of course, the original Dhakai muslin saree price is slightly on the higher side, but that’s a given, considering their incredible quality and unique attributes. Sounds interesting? Do you want to gain a better understanding of these masterpieces? Let’s find out more about them below.
What Makes Dhakai Muslin Sarees Special?
There are several factors that add a special dimension to Dhakai muslin sarees, including the following:
- Lightweight, fine, and incredibly transparent fabric.
- It is made from the finest cotton with the intricate Jamdani weaving technique.
- Hand-woven and complex patterns characterize these sarees, leading to the creation of luxurious and impeccably fine products with higher thread counts.
- The fabric is so fine that it is sometimes said that an authentic saree can be passed through a ring as well!
- The craftsmanship involved in the creation of each individual saree makes it a sustainable and slow-fashion product. There is painstaking skill and effort involved in the process.
- What stands out is the way that the motifs, mostly geometric or floral, are intricately woven into the fabric by hand. This is a complex procedure and is a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage as well.
- One saree may take several months to complete due to the detailing required.
- The rich history and cultural legacy of Dhakai muslin is hard to match, since it was once one of the world’s most luxurious fabrics, coveted by Mughal rulers and aristocrats. It was also exported throughout Europe and Asia.
What Contributes to the Original Dhakai Muslin Saree Price?
Now, if you’re wondering about higher original Dhakai muslin saree price, here are some key factors behind the same.
- Hand-weaving using the Jamdani technique. This involves weaving with cotton for the sheer base, and also the silk threads for the inlaid and intricate patterns.
- The patterns are floated into the material with the discontinuous weft technique, which takes time and requires a lot of skill and precision.
- The finest cotton is used for the base, often known as mulmul, for the lightweight and sheer texture. Supplementary silk threads are also used to create the detailed patterns and motifs on this base.
- Authentic Dhakai muslin sarees are always hand-woven, without any machine-made components.
- They are light, delicate, and come with detailed motifs, while one saree may require several weeks or months to complete, thereby adding to its value.
Finding Genuine Dhakai Muslin Sarees:
Are you wondering how to spot genuine Dhakai muslin sarees? Here’s how:
- The saree should be lightweight, soft, and come with a sheer texture. You should hold it up to the light and view the translucent and fine nature of the fabric. Synthetic copies are often rough or stiff in terms of their texture.
- The hand-woven muslin in the Jamdani style will have delicate and intricately woven motifs. Always look for clear and sharp designs where the patterns can be seen slightly on the reverse side. Machine-made sarees may have less detailed or blurred motifs in comparison.
- Check the reverse side of the saree. The genuine versions will have uncut and loose threads due to the supplementary weft method used to create the motifs. Machine-made sarees will have plastic-like finishes or cut threads.
- Find the GI (geographical indication) tag which certifies the origins and authenticity of the saree. You may also take the burn test, if possible. Just burn a small and loose thread. Real fabrics will turn into ash, while synthetic materials will melt or have a plastic-like smell.
- Always buy from reputed and genuine platforms or sellers. If the prices seem too low, watch out!
Luxury Handloom Textiles Need Your Patronage:
Be it the finest Dhakai muslin sarees or other luxury handloom textiles in India, they need your patronage more than ever. In a world of fast fashion, machine-made mass products, and declining appreciation for traditional crafts and artisan communities, it is important to appreciate, revive, and preserve these rich legacies. The cultural heritage of Dhakai muslin and other handlooms is too precious to ignore.
That’s where you can make a start by purchasing them from reputed brands/platforms that directly source them from/work with weavers. You can not only add a treasure to your wardrobe, but also embrace higher sustainability simultaneously. Tamal Boutique, for instance, is one of the top boutiques in Kolkata offering the best Dhakai muslin sarees from traditional weaving/artisan communities. Do your bit to support them; what you’ll get is an exquisite piece of sheer craftsmanship that’s second to none!