Narayanpet Saree, traditional patterned weaves, shining revival

Narayanpet Sarees are traditional handlooms made in Narayanpet, a town in Mahbubnagar District, abricA.P., India.  The characteristic Zari check patterns on a silk or cotton body with a contrasting colour temple border and plain border on both sides, are distinguishing features of the Narayanapet Sari. A family tradition involving all its members, the Narayanpet handlooms are woven in silk and cotton, though the preference was once more for silk on account of the returns.

Narayanpet Sarees originally came through a Marathi influence; the royal patronage of Shivaji, the Marathi ruler. Later Lokapalli Sansthanam, an organized body, devoted efforts to see this traditional art form flourish. Even today, wearing a Narayanpet Saree is considered auspicious, and offering of the same is meant for the Goddess.

The Narayanpet  saree has a fineness count of 80:80. Fineness count is a number expressing how fine the fabric is. Higher the count, finer the material. Here fineness is indicative of the fibres per unit length of warp and weft.

The handloom weaving of the Narayanpet Silk fabric could take 2-3 days to complete. Comparatively, a Narayanpet Cotton Saree would take a day to weave. It is roughly estimated that there are about 1000 families or slightly more, involved in the making of this ethnic fabric. Employing vegetable dyes, the Narayanpet Saree has colours both rich and bright. The colour is mostly retained throughout the life of the fabric.

The Saree making process involves separation of gum from the yarn, bleaching so that the yarn loses its natural colour and would readily acquire the vegetable dye colour. Washed again after colouring and dried in shade for fastness of colour to be retained, the yarn is spun into threads. Threads are laid out on the warp (length wise lay) and rolled onto small sticks for the weft (breadth wise weaving).

A weaver makes 30 sarees from one beam of warp. It would take a month to complete weaving of one beam. Narayanpet handloom sarees are traditionally woven in the interlocked-weft technique.

Geographical Indication(GI) Status has been awarded to the Narayanpet Saree in April 2013. The GI status recognises the valuable contribution made by these weavers in keeping alive a cultural heritage of Andhra Pradesh and is a big relief to the beleaguered weavers of Narayanpet.

Narayanpet Saris are worn in their various forms for different occasions.

Fancy block floral prints on narayanpet cotton saree is preferred for daily casual, by college professors, corporate women and teachers.

The Pure Handloom Narayanapet Sari is fashionable wear with its kundans on thread embroidery designs, and zari border with an attractive pallu. It is generally worn for college parties, festivals and event functions.

Unnati  Silks has believed in healthy fusion of traditional and trendy.Combining the basic fabric with different combinations of prints, patterns, colours and applied to different styles, new seamless versions have emerged. 

Pure cotton plain body with traditional pattern designer pallu and coloured borders,

Or pure cotton sarees with block prints on body with designer block-printed pallu with multi-colour double borders,

Or pure cotton plain body sarees with temple design zari border and zari border pallu with plain borders in moderate colours.

These are but a few examples of Unnati’s innovative experiments on healthy fusion with Narayanpet sarees.

Unnati Silks, devoted to ethnic sarees and salwar kameez materials, has trendy designs, attractive patterns, pleasing colours and combinations in its wide collection of Rajkot Silk Patola Sarees and Cotton Patola Sarees at very reasonable prices. Dispatch is within 24 hours of order, with free delivery & COD for retail, and world-wide express shipping.  Contact: UNNATI SILK PRINTS PVT. LTD,#3-4-360, Vajra Complex, General Bazar (Tobacco Bazar), M.G.Road, Hyderabad-500003. AP,India.040-64555251 or 97000 57744. www.unnatisilks.com

Art Silk Sarees Are Good, Art Silk Sarees Are Good Substitutes For Pure Silk Sarees

Artificial Silk or Art Silk, as it is known as, is a synthetically manufactured fibre which resembles silk. Rayon is one of the best examples of Art Silk. 

Art Silk Sarees cost less to produce. Having properties similar to that of fabric from natural fibres, the feel and texture of cotton, silk or wool is closely imitated. Art Silk Sarees are easily dyed in a wide range of colours.

 Rayon or Art Silk fabrics are soft and smooth to the touch. Being highly absorbent, the Art Silk Saree keeps the body cool and comfortable since it does not insulate body heat, making it ideal for use in hot and humid climates.

In the present day, imitation silk may be made with rayon, mercerized cotton, polyester, a blend of these materials, or a blend of rayon and silk. Surprisingly with demand for artificial silk on the increase, despite efforts to curb prices, a rise in price of rayon fabrics, has been noticed. 

In recent times, rising cotton prices have led to the replacement of cotton with rayon in fabrics. Designers also, have switched over to incorporate rayon in their newest saree designs.

Cellulose fibers are manufactured from dissolving pulp.Cellulose-based fibers are of two types, regenerated or pure cellulose. Rayon fibre is from regenerated cellulose. One of the earliest in artificial fibres, artificial silk was initially known as viscose towards the end of the nineteenth century and later as rayon in 1924. The material is commonly referred to as viscose rayon in industry.

The durability and appearance retention of regular viscose rayon is low, especially when wet. Also, it has the lowest elastic recovery of any fibre. However, with the newer variety of Rayon much stronger, the Art Silk Saree exhibits higher durability and appearance retention. While recommended care for regular viscose rayon has been dry-cleaning only, the improved variety of rayon can easily be machine-washed.

The company Du Pont is said to have first produced artificial silk under the name Nylon. It was the first synthetic fibre or artificial silk, developed in the United States in the late 1930s and used as a replacement for Japanese silk during World War II. Although nylon does not present as good an appearance as silk, it is a successful functional alternative.

In 1931, soyabean fibers were experimented with to produce artificial silk which was named Azlon.

Unsuspecting buyers could buy art silk sarees that could be passed off as real silk. However despite a similar appearance, genuine silk has unique features that are distinguishable from artificial silk.

Art Silk Sarees have Fancy prints and embroidery designs adorning the silk fabric.  

Gold floral prints all over the sari, with a block printed border and a designer pallu is a trending style and very suitable wear for daily casual, college, corporate office and traditional occasions.

Designer art silk saris with zari embroidery all over the sari and printed patch work embroidered with mirrors and sequins are gorgeous. They are apt for grand ocasions such as wedding, bridal functions and festivals.

Unnati Silks, has trendy designs, attractive patterns, in pleasing colours and combinations in its wide collection of Art Silk Sarees at very reasonable prices. Unnati is one of the largest Indian ethnic online websites with over 300 varieties of traditional sarees and salwar kameez.Dispatch is within 24 hours of order. Free delivery & COD is provided for retail.Worldwide express shipping caters to almost all countries across the world

Nagaland Cotton Saree, Nagaland Saree, Cotton Saree, Nagaland Cotton saris from the North East, unnatisilks Comfortable handlooms from the north east

Nagaland State is one of the seven sisters of the North East and famous for its cotton industry.

A simple woven ethnic fabric, what lends appeal to the Nagaland Cotton Saree, are the intricately designed motifs and embroidered patterns. Straight lines, zig zag lines, squares, bands and other simple geometric shapes in varying widths and colours constitute popular patterns.

Earlier times had the woven cloth decorated with beads, cowrie shells and goat hairs to denote the wealth and status of the weaver. Modern format sees the Nagaland Cotton Saree having simple thread work and kundans, beads, mirrors and sequins adorning the fabric.

Abundance of cotton grown in the region had hill tribes engaged in spinning and weaving as an occupation and means of their livelihood, since pre-independence days. Today it is an industry.

The quality of the cotton, soft and fluffy in nature, is quite superior, owing to the organic method of farming adopted. No wonder, the fabrics woven from it are soft, light and airy.

The spinning of yarn into cotton thread done by hand earlier has now slowly been overtaken in its processing by machines. However weaving, a household industry since long is still popular and mostly done by women. The Nagaland Cotton Saris bear testimony to their exceptional skills. A simple tension loom initially used has slowly made way for the fly shuttle.

Dyeing of the fabric is also a woman’s prerogative though with the changing times and waning of interest among modern women to be in this occupation, this no longer holds true. 

Bright primary colours as red, green, yellow and blue are generally used, though other colours are also becoming popular. Known till date for the natural dyes extracted from barks, roots and plants used for dyeing cotton yarn, availability and effort in procuring them has slowly made way for chemical dyes.

Colours are significant among the hill tribes with the system of pre-dominance of a certain colour for a particular tribe, still prevalent. Each Naga tribe has distinctive patterns with certain geometric shapes and motifs associated with it. Black or white are predominant colours used. Red and green are in additional motif insertions.

Extremely novel and appealing, Nagaland Cotton Sarees are seen in a variety of forms with the traditional fabric given a modern day setting. Some examples follow.

Pure Nagaland handloom cotton saree, with artistically woven Buttis, and a zari border is a refreshing change very suitable for daily casual, and preferred mostly by corporate office-goers, professors and teachers.

The Fancy Nagaland cotton sari in block floral printed designs is elegant and apt for formal conferences and social gatherings.

Once a necessary means of living, it is transformed today into a thriving industry for cotton fabrics.

Unnati Silks, devoted to ethnic sarees and salwar kameez materials, has trendy designs, attractive patterns, pleasing colours and combinations in its wide collection of Nagaland Cotton Sarees at very reasonable prices. Dispatch is within 24 hours of order, with free delivery & COD for retail, and world-wide express shipping.  Contact: UNNATI SILK PRINTS PVT. LTD,#3-4-360, Vajra Complex, General Bazar (Tobacco Bazar), M.G.Road, Hyderabad-500003. AP,India.040-64555251 or 97000 57744. www.unnatisilks.com