Powerloom Or Handloom Sarees: What’s The Best Choice?

Your wedding might be around the corner, or you might want to stack your wardrobe with new Kanchipuram sarees that you adore! Once you visit a textile store, a world of sarees unravels itself right in front of your eyes. However, there is one thing you must have in mind while shopping for a Kanjivaram sarees. Should you buy power looms or handloom sarees? What’s the best choice between each other?

Why does this choice matter? The reason is fairly simple. You might be paying a little extra for a power loom saree, misconceiving it to be a handloom. Generally, a handloom costs more than a power loom because of its complex process. Let us understand more about this further.

1 - Weight of the saree

The first step is to check the weight of the saree. It can clearly show you whether the saree is handwoven or power loom silk sarees. The former weighs a lot more than the latter. Three ply & four ply silk goes into the product of hand-woven sarees. In addition to this, the weaver takes a lot of time and effort to ensure that precision is maintained. Therefore, handlooms tend to be more durable and thick. It takes up to ten days for the weaver to finish one saree.

However, power looms produce greater output than handlooms. As a result, the fabric is thin and tends to be lighter. Power looms focus on the quantity produced rather than the quality.

2 - Range of designs

Ever wondered why your bridal sarees have intricate designs? That is because those sarees are handwoven. The main reason why many prefer handloom sarees is the range of designs that you get with them. This element is absent from power loom sarees as the motifs and grandeur is very limited. 

3 - Cost of the saree

You might not be surprised to know that handloom sarees are costly. The amount of work and creative thought determine the price of the saree. Expert weavers can only produce about 10 to 80 cm in a day. This length shall reduce if the complexity of the design increases. 

However, you can find power looms wedding silk sarees below 10000 since the time taken to produce one saree is relatively less than a handloom piece.

4 - Identifying handloom silk sarees 

If you are not too concerned about the type of saree, then handlooms or not, it won’t matter for you. But, a handloom saree holds a special place for some people. Assuming you are one such person, here are some tips to find the authenticity of the Kanchivaram Silk Sarees you have purchased.

• Take a close look at the detailing and the quality of the zari work. You are bound to find intricate weaving on a handloom saree.
• Feel the fabric to see how thick they are. Like we saw earlier, hand-woven sarees are made with three or four ply silk.
• Since the pallu and the body are weaved together, you can find separation on the backside of the saree. It is a sign that the pallu & the body, which were initially separate, are later stitched as one.

Buy quality sarees from Lakshaya Silk Sarees and be in the spotlight on any special occasion!