What Is a Handloom Saree? How to Identify, Buy and Care for One
A handloom saree is a saree woven on a loom worked by hand and foot, without electric power. The weaver lifts the warp threads with treadles, passes the weft across with a shuttle and beats each thread into place, one line at a time. Under India’s Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985, a handloom is any loom other than a powerloom, and sarees are among the articles reserved for handloom weaving. Handloom sarees are softer, breathe better and carry small irregularities that a machine does not make. This guide explains how they are made, how to tell handloom from powerloom, the Handloom Mark and India Handloom Brand, the cotton and linen handloom traditions of India, why they cost what they do, and how to care for one.
What Counts as Handloom
Handloom describes how the cloth is woven, not how the yarn is made. Most handloom sarees today are woven from mill-spun cotton or linen yarn, dyed and prepared in the weaving cluster. A loom can have a jacquard or dobby attachment for patterns and still be a handloom, as long as a person operates it. The words are often used loosely, so it helps to be precise.
How a Handloom Saree Is Made
A plain cotton saree can come off the loom in a day or two. A saree with a woven zari border takes longer, and a Dhakai jamdani with dense motifs can take weeks. Read more in what is a Dhakai jamdani saree.
Handloom vs Powerloom
How to Identify a Handloom Saree
The Handloom Mark and India Handloom Brand
National Handloom Day falls on 7 August, chosen to mark the Swadeshi movement launched on 7 August 1905, which urged Indians to buy home-made cloth. It has been observed every year since 2015.
Cotton and Linen Handlooms of India
India has hundreds of weaving clusters. These are some of the best known cotton and linen handloom traditions, and what to look for in each.
The Fourth All India Handloom Census found the largest numbers of handloom workers in Assam, West Bengal, Manipur and Tamil Nadu. In 2013 UNESCO inscribed the traditional art of jamdani weaving, from Bangladesh, on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Why Handloom Costs More
Behind every handloom saree are hours of preparation before weaving even starts. It is skilled work, and a fair price keeps it alive.
Handloom at MAYIN
Our handloom collection spans mul cotton, linen and jamdani. Mul cotton is the heart of it: soft, breathable and better with every wash, from plain weaves such as Vanilla Mousse to stripes such as Tokyo, Saturday and Rangam. Abhira is a handloom cotton saree with woven zari stripes in pink and purple. Our pure handloom linen, including Main Event, Calm and The Go To, is 47 inches wide with a zari border woven in the same pass as the body. For woven florals, see the Dhakai jamdani sarees Naples, Lilac Bloom and Bloom. Every saree is 5.5 metres long.
Read more in what is a mul cotton saree and what is a linen saree.
Caring for a Handloom Saree
Full instructions in how to wash and store sarees.
Myths About Handloom
Handloom is especially well suited to work: see our saree work wardrobe guide and lightweight sarees for daily wear.
Handloom Sarees in This Guide
AbhiraHandloom cotton, zari stripesPair with 
RangamWhite striped mul cottonPair with 
TokyoMulticolour striped mul cottonPair with 
SaturdayMulticolour striped mul cottonPair with 
RaabtaPink mul cotton, zari stripesPair with 
EmeraldGreen mul cotton, zari stripesPair with 
Vanilla MoussePlain white mul cottonPair with 
Main EventBurgundy handloom linen, zari borderPair with 
Golden HourMustard handloom linen, zari borderPair with 
CalmLavender handloom linen, zari borderPair with 
ComposurePink handloom linen, zari borderPair with 
The Go ToIvory handloom linen, zari borderPair with 
Power PlayBlue handloom linen, zari borderPair with 
Corner OfficeMulticolour checked handloom linenPair with 
CrosswalkMulticolour striped handloom linenPair with 
Line ItemBlack striped handloom linenPair with 
NaplesYellow floral Dhakai jamdaniPair with 
Lilac BloomLavender floral Dhakai jamdaniPair with
Browse all handloom sarees, linen sarees, jamdani sarees and cotton sarees. We ship across India and to 34 countries.
Questions People Ask
What is a handloom saree?
A saree woven on a loom operated by hand and foot, without electric power. Under India’s Handlooms Act of 1985, any loom other than a powerloom is a handloom.
How can I tell if a saree is handloom?
Look for slight variations in the weave, a selvedge that wanders a little, hand-inlaid motifs with floats on the back, and the Handloom Mark or India Handloom Brand label.
Is handloom better than powerloom?
Handloom is softer, breathes better and supports skilled weavers. Powerloom is cheaper and more uniform. For comfort and character, handloom wins.
Why are handloom sarees expensive?
Each one takes hours to days of skilled work, from warping and threading the loom to weaving. Linen yarn and hand-inlaid motifs add to the cost.
What is the Handloom Mark?
A label launched in 2006 and run by the Textiles Committee that certifies a product is handwoven.
When is National Handloom Day?
Every year on 7 August, marking the Swadeshi movement launched on 7 August 1905.
Is a cotton saree always handloom?
No. Cotton describes the fibre; handloom describes the loom. Many cotton sarees are powerloom.
Do handloom sarees fade?
Deep colours can release a little dye in the first few washes. Wash them separately in cold water and dry in the shade.
Are MAYIN sarees handloom?
Our handloom collection includes mul cotton, pure linen and Dhakai jamdani. Each product page states the fabric and weave.
How should I store a handloom saree?
Folded in a cotton or muslin bag, away from damp, and refolded along new lines every few months.
