GI Protected Sarees and Fabrics of India
Each state of India has its own specialty and range of Sarees. Some of the specific varieties and notes about them for exams are as follows:
Kanjeevaram Silk and Saree
Kanjeevaram sarees are characterized by gold dipped silver thread that is woven on the premium quality silk. These sarees are also known for their durability, heaviness and high cost because of Zari work. The heavier is the silk and Zari; the better is considered the quality. Kanjeevaram saree is a GI protected product of India. As per Geographical Indication (GI) label, a Kancheepuram saree should have 57 per cent silver and 0.6 per cent gold in zari. However, Tamil Nadu government has eased this to 40 per cent silver and 0.5 per cent gold to make life easy for its producers.
Banaras Brocade
Banarasi brocade is in existence since Mughal era and can be identified with a narrow fringe like pattern, called Jhhalar, found along the inner and outer border. This fringe resembles a string of leaves. Banarasi Brocade is a GI protected item. As per the GI registry, brocade sarees made only in the districts of Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Bhadohi and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh can be authentically identified as Banarasi saree or brocade.
Kota Doria / Kota Jali
Kota doria is one of many types of sari garments made at Kota, Rajasthan and Muhammadabad Gohna, Mau in Uttar Pradesh and its nearby area. Sarees are made of pure cotton and silk and have square like patterns known as khats on them. Originally, such sarees were called Masuria because they were woven in Mysore. Kota Doria was granted a G.I. in. July 2005.
Kota Doria is lightweight and transparent and are considered to be lightest cotton sarees in India.
Ilkal Saree
Ilkal saree is a GI protected craft of India from Ilkal town in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. They are prepared using cotton warp on the body and art silk warp for border and art silk warp for pallu of the saree. Ilkal town was an ancient weaving center in Karnataka.
Molakalmuru Saree
GI protected Molakalmuru Saree is a silk saree from Molakalmuru town in Chitradurga district of Karnataka. The community of weavers known for producing the Molakulmuru Saree is small – a total of 440 artisans. Weaving is the major occupation in this town.
Uppada Jamdani Sarees
Uppada Sari is a sari style woven in Uppada of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. Uppada Jamdani saris are known for their light weight. Jamdani is a ‘cotton’ fibre woven delicately into finest muslin. Jamdani weaving originated in India {modern Bangladesh}.
Balaramapuram Sarees and Fine Cotton Fabrics
Balaramapuram Sarees are prestigious and GI protected Saree produced in Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala. This fabric is Kerala’s first handloom product to get GI protection. Balarampur is an historically important weaving place in Kerala where Kings of Travancore patronized the art.
Gadwal Saree
Gadwal saree from Gadwal of Mahbubnagar district, Telangana is a GI protected variety of Saree. The saree consists of cotton body with silk pallu which is also given a new name as Sico sarees. The weavers design in such a way that it can be folded and fit in a matchbox.
Pochampalli Ikat
Pochampalli Ikat is a saree made in Bhoodan Pochampally in Nalgonda district, Telangana State, India. Its uniqueness lies in the transfer of intricate design and colouring onto warp and weft threads first and then weave them together globally known as double ikat textiles. Pochampally saree received Intellectual Property Rights Protection or Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2005.
Salem Fabric
Salem Fabric is a saree made out of silk yarn and cotton yarn and designed by using superior grade fabrics and advanced machinery. In 2006, Salem Fabric became the first GI product from Tamil Nadu.
Chanderi Fabric
Chanderi Fabric is a traditional sari made in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is characterized by its lightweight, sheer texture and fine luxurious feel. Chanderi fabric is produced by weaving in silk and golden Zari in the traditional cotton yarn.
Orissa Ikat, Odisha
Orissa Ikat is a kind of ikat, a resist dyeing technique, originating from Odisha. Also known as “Bandha of Orissa”, it is a geographically tagged product of Orissa since 2007. It is made through a process of tie-dying the warp and weft threads to create the design on the loom prior to weaving.
Ilkal Sarees
Ilkal saree is a traditional form of saree which is a common feminine wear in India. Ilkal saree takes its name from the town of Ilkal in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka state, India. Ilkal sarees are woven using cotton warp on the body and art silk warp for border and art silk warp for pallu portion of the saree. In some cases instead of art silk, pure silk is also used. Ilkal saree has been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Molakalmuru Sarees
Molakalmuru Sari is the traditional silk sari that is weaved in the Molakalmuru, Chitradurga district, Karnataka, India. In 2011, it has been granted Geographical Indication tag. The motifs include that of fruits, animals, and flower etc.
Uppada Jamdani Sarees
Uppada Sari is a sari style woven in Uppada of East Godavari district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was registered as one of the geographical indication from Andhra Pradesh by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Uppada Jamdani saris are known for their light weight.
Puneri Pagadi
The Puneri Pagadi is a turban, which is considered as a symbol of pride and honour in the city of Pune. It was introduced two centuries ago. Though it is a symbol of honour, the use of the pagadi has changed over the years and now it is also used on traditional days in colleges. To preserve the identity of the pagadi, there were demands from the locals to grant it a Geographical Indication (GI) status. Their demand was fulfilled and the pagadi became an intellectual property on 4 September 2009.
Santipore Saree
The bustling town of Shantipur in Nadia district of West Bengal, India, is just 90 kilometres (2 hours drive) north of the metropolis of Kolkata. It has recently been declared a city. Neighbouring Fulia is often uttered in the same breath with Shantipur, their contrasting backgrounds notwithstanding. Together they are the most renowned Bengal handloom saree weaving centre in Bengal. Shantipur and Fulia sarees are household names across India.
Balaramapuram Sarees and Fine Cotton Fabrics
Kerala’s prestigious ‘Balaramapuram Sarees’ have become the first handloom product in the state to receive the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection through Geographical Indications Act. Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala is one of the most historically important places for weaving fine cotton sarees and fabrics in India.
Kasaragod Sarees
Kasaragod is home to a unique weaving co-operative society that is known for its exclusive Kasaragod Sarees. It is not a big brand that adorns the malls and big showroom. But it is known for the tradition of 75 years that won the Kasargod Sarees the geographical indication (GI) tag in 2008 as also many committed buyers over the years.The glorious days of the hand-woven Kasaragod sari may be over but it has withstood the challenges of time and is still popular among the people.
Kuthampully Sarees
Kuthampully Saree is a type of Sari traditionally made by weavers from Kuthampully village in Thiruvilwamala Grama Panchayat of Thrissur district of Kerala state in India. The Kuthampully Saree is distinguished by its Saree borders. In 1972 Kuthampully Handloom Industrial Cooperative Society was registered with 102 members. Now it has 814 members with own building in Kuthampully. In September 2011, the Kuthampully Saree got exclusive Intellectual Property rights through Geographical indication Act (GI).
Paithani Sarees and Fabrics
Paithani is a variety of sari, named after the Paithan town in Aurangabad Maharashtra state where they are woven by hand. Made from very fine silk, it is considered as one of the richest saris in India. Paithani is characterised by borders of an oblique square design, and a pallu with a peacock design. Plain as well as spotted designs are available. A pattan (Paithani) is a gold and silk sari. Paithani evolved from a cotton base to a silk base.
Champa Silk Saree and Fabrics
Chhattisgarh’s Champa Silk Saree and Fabrics recently got the geographic indication registration due to which the brand cannot be replicated anywhere.
Surat Zari Craft
The Surat Zari Craft is a textile product of Surat district in Gujarat, which is made from yarns of silk and cotton mixed with gold, silver or copper The zari threads are used to make intricate designs by weaving into generally silk fabrics. Its use is extensive in textile industries and handicrafts. The Surat Zari is either woven on cloth or hand embroidered to form fabric borders or used as part on the body of the cloth. The zaris are used in fabrics made in Varanasi and a few other places in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Banarasi saris made in Varanasi and Kanjivaram Saris of South India use Surat Zari extensively.The zaris made in Surat are of two types – the real metallic zari made with gold and few pure metals, and the imitation zari is woven with plastics.
Venkatagiri Sarees
Venkatagiri Sari is a sari style woven in Venkatagiri of Nellore district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was registered as one of the geographical indication from Andhra Pradesh by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Venkatagiri saris are known for their fine weaving.These style of saris can also be found in the villages of Sengunthapuram, Variyankaval, Elaiyur, Kallathur, Andimadam and Marudhur village.
Baluchari Saree
Baluchar Sari or Baluchuri Sari is a type of sari, a garment worn by women across India and Bangladesh. This particular type of sari originated in Bengal and is known for depictions of mythological scenes on the pallu of the sari. It was mainly produced in Murshidabad but presently Bishnupur and its surrounding places of West Bengal is the only place where authentic Baluchuri sarees are produced. It takes approximately one week to produce one such sari. The Baluchari Sari has been granted the status of Geographical indication in India.
Dhaniakh Saree
Dhaniakhali Saree is a cotton saree made in Dhaniakhali, West Bengal, India. It is a saree with 100 by 100 cotton thread count, borders between 1.5 and 2 inches and six metre long drapeali Saree
Chendamangalam Dhoties & Set Mundu
Chendamangalam in Ernakulam district is also an important handloom centre in Kerala, famed for its fine weaving and special effects. The distinction of these fabrics is in its plain structure, they have produced a special effect in weft direction. Double dhoti and Mundu and Neriyathu are its famous products. Besides these, Sarees and other handloom fabrics are also produced here. Sarees from Balaramapuram, Kuthampully and Kasargod, as well as the Chendamangalam Mundu(dhoti) have received the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) registration.
Siddipet Gollabama
Gollabhama sari also Siddipet Gollabhama are saris made in Siddipet, Telangana, India. These cotton saris are popular for their inlay figure work and motifs. The sari received Intellectual Property Rights Protection or Geographical Indication (GI) status.
Maheshwar Sarees & Fabrics
Maheshwar is a city in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh. Maheshwari Saree is a cotton and pure silk fabric woven with zari or brocade in varied designs. The Maheshwari saree has special origin; it is traced by a queen who ruled over that territory. Maheshwari sarees are cotton and silk sarees, its specialty is simplicity. On the main part of the saree, it has checks, stripes, small butis or even plain body. Some sarees has reversible border, thus it can be worn either side.
Sambalpuri Bandha Saree & Fabrics
Sambalpuri saree is a traditional handwoven ikat or sari or saree (locally called sadhi) wherein the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving . It is produced in the Bargarh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Balangir, district, Boudh District of Odisha. The saree is a traditional female garment in the Indian Subcontinent consisting of a strip of unstitched cloth ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles.
Bomkai Saree & Fabrics
Bomkai Sari (also Sonepuri Sari) is a handloom saree from Odisha, India. It is an origin of Bomkai, Ganjam district in the state and is primarily produced by the “Bhulia” community of Subarnapur district. Bomkai is one of the identified Geographical Indications of India. Sonepur handloom sarees, Sonepuri paatas and silk sarees are popular items displayed at various fashion shows. Bomkai sari was first originated in the village of Bomkai in Ganjam district of Odisha. During the time of Ramai Dev the then ruler of Patna it was introduced in Sonepur
Habaspuri Saree & Fabrics
Habaspuri is cotton base traditional handloom textiles of Odisha, Habaspuri sari is a major product of this textile. The Kondha weavers of Chicheguda, Kalahandi district, Odisha are originally attributed for weaving of the Habaspuri fabric. For its uniqueness in weaving, design and production, it has been identified as one of the 14 Geographical Indications of Odisha. Habaspuri handloom is named after the village of Habaspur in Kalahandi district where it was originally woven during 19 CE. The Habaspuri saris and other textile products produced by the individual weavers and groups are marketed and sold by the Handlooms, Textiles and Handlooms Department of the Government of Odisha in the government-run stores.
Mangalagiri Saree
Mangalagiri Sarees and Fabrics are produced by performing handicraft weaving in Mangalagiri, a town in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. The Mangalagiri fabric is produced by weaving with the help of pitlooms from combed yarn by warp and woof interlacing. The fabric then undergoes the process of dyeing. The Nizam design is another characteristic of the fabric.
Narayanpet Handloom Sarees
Narayanpet sarees have a checked surface design with embroidery and the border or pallu have intricate ethnic designs such as a temples. The borders and pallu of the Narayanpet handloom sarees are always given a contrasted look with small zari designs.
Lucknow Zardozi
The world-renowned textile embroidery from Lucknow. Zardozi embroidery is beautiful metal embroidery, which once used to embellish the attire of the Kings and the royals in India. It was also used to adorn walls of the royal tents, scabbards, wall hangings and the paraphernalia of regal elephants and horses.
Patan Patola
Patola are a double ikat woven sari, usually made from silk, made in Patan, Gujarat, India. The word patola is the plural form the singular is patolu. They are very expensive, once worn only by royalty and the aristocracy. They are popular and in demand from those who can afford them. Velvet patola styles are also made in Surat. Patola-weaving is a closely guarded family tradition. There are three families in Patan that weave these highly prized double ikat saris. It can take six months to one year to make one sari.
Mirzapur Handmade Dari
The Mirzapur handmade dari is made of twisted cotton thread along with jute twine to give rougher quality of carpet with about 60 knots per square inch. Cotton and woolen carpets are made in Shahjehanpur and Agra where weavers produce traditional and new designs. The tradition of making handmade dari is continuing since Mughal era. Mirzapur handmade dari made in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh including Mirzapur, Varanasi, Badohi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Kaushambi, Sonbhadra, Jaunpur, Allahabad and Kaushambi. Mirzapur Handmade Dari is protected under Intellectual property rights after getting Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2015
Salem Silk known as Salem Ven pattu
Salem’s unique brand of silk clothing, known as ven pattu, has received the Central government’s Geographical Indication Authorised User Certificate, according to the Geographical Indications Act 1999 Rule 2003, paving the way for more sales and better recognition for this silk. Salem Silk received Geographical Indication (GI) tag in April 2016. The turnover of Salem ven pattu is estimated to be around Rs 25-30 crore.
Kovai Cora Cotton
Kovai Cora cotton or Kovai Kora cotton is a type of saree made in the Coimbatore region in Tamil Nadu, India. It has received Geographical Indication (GI) tag from Government of India in 2014-15. Kovai Cora saree is made by mixing of traditional silk and superior quality of cotton yarn and weaved in traditional handloom.
Arani Silk Saree
Arni silk saree is traditional sari made in Arni, Thiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu. Arni silk saree is known for its softness and durability. Arani Silk has also received Geographical Indication (GI) tag from Government of India.
Khandua Saree and Fabrics
Khandua saree a popular variety of silk Sarees, which is manufactured in Nuapatna in Cuttack district, has rightly been called the Pride of Odisha. The origin of this Saree, which is dedicated to Lord Jagannath of Puri Dham, dates back to 12th century. Khandua Saree is a classic example of hand weaving, in which traditional wooden looms are used to weave these exquisite and artistic pieces, out of pure tussar yarn produced by worm. Khandua Saree is granted Geographical Indications (GI) tag by Government of India.
