MAYIN Guides

What Is a Chiffon Saree? Bemberg Pure Chiffon vs Polyester, Explained

By Nishita Nathani12 min read

Amaris lavender floral print Bemberg chiffon saree by MAYIN

A chiffon saree is a saree woven from chiffon, a light, sheer fabric made with tightly twisted yarns that give it a fine, slightly grainy feel and a soft, floating fall. What decides how a chiffon saree feels on the skin is the yarn it is woven from. MAYIN pure chiffon sarees are woven from 100% Bemberg™ cupro, a fibre made from the fine fuzz on cotton seeds by one maker in Japan. It breathes, does not cling with static and takes colour beautifully. Much of the chiffon sold in India is polyester, often labelled simply chiffon or even pure chiffon. This guide explains the difference, how to tell them apart at home, and how to wear and care for a chiffon saree.

At a glance
LavenderLight and sheer
Powder blueBreathes in heat
MauveNo static cling
TurquoiseRich, clear colour
What Bemberg chiffon gives you that polyester chiffon does not.
In this guide

What Is Chiffon?

Chiffon is a weave, not a fibre. It is a balanced plain weave made with crepe yarns twisted alternately to the left and right, which makes the fabric slightly puckered, a little springy and sheer. The name comes from the French chiffe, meaning cloth. Chiffon was first woven from silk and was a luxury; nylon chiffon arrived in 1938 and polyester chiffon in 1958, and polyester, being cheap and hard wearing, made chiffon an everyday fabric. So when a saree says chiffon, the real question is: chiffon woven from what?

Chiffon and Bemberg, in short
1890sA new fibreCupro is invented, and the German firm J. P. Bemberg refines it.
1931Made in JapanAsahi Kasei begins making Bemberg in Nobeoka, Japan.
1938 to 1958Synthetics arriveNylon chiffon, then polyester chiffon, make chiffon cheap.
1976Bemberg in IndiaBemberg reaches Indian weavers for sarees and dupattas.
TodayOne makerAsahi Kasei is the only maker of Bemberg in the world.

What Is Bemberg Chiffon?

Amaris lavender floral print Bemberg chiffon saree by MAYIN

Bemberg™ is the brand name of cupro made by Asahi Kasei in Japan. It is a regenerated cellulose fibre: it starts as cotton linter, the short, downy fuzz left on cotton seeds after the cotton is picked, which is a by-product of cottonseed oil making. The cellulose is purified, dissolved and spun into very fine, round filaments, which are then woven into fabric. Bemberg chiffon is chiffon woven from this yarn.

That makes Bemberg neither a synthetic like polyester, which is made from petroleum, nor silk. It is plant based, and Asahi Kasei describes it as biodegradable and compostable. It is also rare: Asahi Kasei puts Bemberg at about 0.02% of the world’s fibre production. It has been used in Indian sarees and dupattas for more than 40 years, and is now used by designer labels for their sarees as well.

From Cotton Seed to Saree

How Bemberg chiffon is made
1
Cotton seedAfter cotton is picked, a fine fuzz called linter stays on the seed. Oil mills remove it before pressing the seed for oil.
2
Pure celluloseThe linter is cleaned into pure cellulose, the same natural building block as cotton.
3
Fine, round filamentsIn Japan, the cellulose is dissolved and spun into very fine filaments. The copper and ammonia used are recovered and reused in a closed loop.
4
Chiffon yarn and weaveThe filaments are twisted into crepe yarn and woven into chiffon.
5
Your sareeThe chiffon is then digitally printed into the sarees you see here.

Why Bemberg Is the Finest Chiffon for a Saree

We chose 100% Bemberg for our pure chiffon because of how it feels to wear in Indian weather, through a long evening, in a crowd, under lights. These are the reasons.

Six reasons
It breathesBemberg absorbs and releases moisture, so it stays dry and cool against the skin instead of trapping heat and sweat.
No static clingIt is antistatic, so it does not crackle, cling to your legs or attract lint the way polyester does.
A soft, smooth handThe filaments are very fine and perfectly round, which makes the fabric smooth and soft to touch.
A fluid fallIt drapes close to the body and settles into soft folds; pleats fall cleanly and the pallu floats.
Deeper colourIt takes dye deeply, so prints look rich and clear rather than flat or glassy.
Plant basedMade from a cotton by-product, biodegradable and compostable, and certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 as a fibre.
How much moisture each fibre holds
Bemberg (cupro)11%
Cotton8.5%
Nylon4.5%
Polyester0.4%
Standard moisture regain: the share of its own weight in moisture a fibre holds in normal air. Polyester holds almost none, which is why a polyester chiffon feels sticky and warm on a humid evening.

Bemberg Chiffon and Polyester Chiffon

Side by side
Bemberg chiffonPolyester chiffon
Made fromCotton linter, a plant cellulosePetroleum
On the skinCool, dry, softWarm, can feel sticky
StaticAntistaticClings and crackles
LookSoft, natural sheenCan look glassy or shiny
ColourDeep and clearCan look flat
CreasingCreases a little, steams outHardly creases
At end of lifeBiodegradableDoes not biodegrade
PriceHigherLow

Polyester chiffon is not a bad fabric. It is cheap, durable and resists creasing, and it has its place. It is simply a different fabric, and it should be sold under its own name.

Not All Pure Chiffon Is Pure

Chiffon labels in India are loose. In the fabric trade, polyester chiffon is often called faux chiffon, but by the time a saree reaches a shop or a website the word faux has usually gone, and it may be sold as chiffon, soft chiffon or even pure chiffon. Some fabric sold as Bemberg chiffon is a blend with only part Bemberg. Because a polyester saree and a Bemberg saree can look alike in a photograph, the label is often all a buyer has to go on.

Before you buy a pure chiffon saree
Signs it may be polyester
•A very low price for a pure chiffon saree
•A glassy, plastic-like shine
•Feels slippery and warm in the hand
•Crackles or clings when you unfold it
•Springs back without a crease when crushed
What to ask the seller
?What fibre is the chiffon woven from?
?Is it 100% Bemberg or a blend?
?Can you share the fibre content in writing?
?What is the care advice?
?What is the exchange policy?

At MAYIN, we name the fibre: our pure chiffon sarees are 100% Bemberg chiffon. If you are ever unsure about a saree you have bought from us, write to us and we will tell you exactly what it is.

How to Tell at Home

Six simple checks
TouchBemberg feels cool, dry and soft with a fine grain. Polyester feels smoother, slippery and slightly plastic.
LightHold it to daylight. Bemberg has a soft, even sheen; polyester often has a glassy shine.
Water dropPut a drop of water on a corner. Bemberg soaks it up quickly; on polyester it sits or spreads slowly.
StaticRub it against a sleeve in dry weather. Polyester clings and crackles; Bemberg does not.
CrushCrush a corner in your fist for ten seconds. Bemberg keeps a soft crease; polyester springs back.
PriceBemberg costs much more to make than polyester. A pure chiffon saree priced like a polyester one is unlikely to be pure.
The thread burn test
BembergPolyester
FlameBurns quickly with a steady flameMelts and shrinks away from the flame
SmellLike burning paperSweet, chemical
What is leftSoft, grey ash that crumblesA hard, dark bead

The burn test is the most reliable home test. Pull one loose thread from the cut end of the saree, not from the blouse piece, which is crepe. Hold it with tweezers over a sink, and keep it well away from the saree and anything that can catch fire.

What to Expect From Bemberg

A fair picture helps you enjoy it. Bemberg chiffon creases a little more than polyester, though the creases steam out easily. Like all cellulose fibres it is weaker when wet, so it should not be wrung or scrubbed, which is why we recommend dry cleaning. It costs more, because the fibre does. And it is sheer, so the petticoat colour matters.

When to Wear a Chiffon Saree

Chiffon by occasion
Parties and cocktails
A deep floral or a dark ground with a sleeveless or V neck blouse. Light enough to dance in all night.
Farewells
Pastel florals photograph softly and are easy to manage for a first saree.
Day weddings and sangeet
Bright florals and gingham for daytime functions in warm weather.
Haldi and mehendi
Yellow, green and orange chiffon keeps you cool through a long outdoor function.
Brunches and summer evenings
Gingham and small prints feel fresh and easy.
Festive evenings
A rich floral with a gold or jewel toned blouse gives a festive touch without weight.

Chiffon suits most figures, because it drapes close to the body without adding volume. It is lovely in summer and in humid weather, and it travels well because it weighs so little. For winter evenings, add a fine shawl or a structured blouse with sleeves.

Draping Chiffon

A neat chiffon drape
1
The right baseA snug petticoat in the ground colour of the saree, or a fitted mermaid cut for a sleek line.
2
Fewer, neater pleatsChiffon is fluid, so five to seven pleats are enough. Press them lightly with your fingers before tucking.
3
Pin itPin the pleats to the petticoat and the pallu at the shoulder. Bemberg is smooth, so pins keep it in place.
4
Open or pleated palluLeave the pallu open and floating for a party, or pleat and pin it for a busy day.
5
Shoes firstSet the hem with your shoes on, just touching the top of the foot.

Blouse and Petticoat

Every MAYIN chiffon saree comes with a 1 m crepe blouse piece, smooth and opaque enough to wear unlined. A sleeveless, cap sleeve or elbow sleeve blouse in the ground colour, or a contrast picked from the print, suits most chiffon. Our guide to blouse designs for chiffon sarees covers necklines, sleeves and colours. Because chiffon is sheer, wear a petticoat that matches the lower part of the saree or is skin tone; our petticoat guide explains why.

MAYIN Pure Chiffon Sarees

The pure chiffon range
From ₹3,399
Floral printsDigitally printed florals, from soft pastels to deep evening shades.
₹3,999
Gingham and leheriyaCrisp gingham checks and soft wave patterns for daytime.
₹4,499
Signature floralsOur most detailed prints, such as Amaris and Sunlit Rose.
₹5,599
Printed and embroideredPrinted florals finished with embroidery, such as Florise and Celina.

Every MAYIN pure chiffon saree is 100% Bemberg chiffon, 5.5 m long, with a 1 m crepe blouse piece. The florals include Amaris in lavender, Juliet in mauve pink, Selene in turquoise, Zyra in lime green and Elara in orange. For daytime there is gingham, such as Sun Shower and Slow Sunday, and for festive days, Florise pairs a floral print with embroidery.

Shop pure chiffon sarees

See all our chiffon sarees, or browse floral chiffon, printed chiffon and party wear sarees.

Care

Caring for Bemberg chiffon
Do
✓Dry clean for best results
✓Air it in the shade after wearing
✓Steam, or iron on low with a cotton cloth on top
✓Store folded in a cotton cloth
✓Refold along new lines every few months
Avoid
✕Wringing or scrubbing it wet
✕Spraying perfume directly on it
✕Hanging it on a wire hanger for long
✕Direct sun when drying or storing
✕Jewellery and hooks that can snag

If something spills, blot it at once with a clean cloth rather than rubbing, and take it to a dry cleaner. For more, read our guide to washing and storing sarees.

Chiffon or Mul Cotton?

Chiffon is lighter and more fluid, with a soft sheen, and suits parties, evenings and functions. Mul cotton is softer, more matte and easy to wash at home, and suits everyday and office wear. Many people own both. Read what is mul cotton to compare.

Questions People Ask

What is Bemberg chiffon?

Chiffon woven from Bemberg, a cupro fibre made by Asahi Kasei in Japan from cotton linter, the fuzz on cotton seeds. It is light, breathable, antistatic and silky to touch.

Is Bemberg natural or synthetic?

Neither, strictly. It is a regenerated fibre: the raw material is natural plant cellulose from cotton, which is dissolved and spun into a new fibre. It is not made from petroleum like polyester, and it is biodegradable.

Is Bemberg chiffon better than polyester chiffon?

For wearing, yes. It breathes, does not cling with static, feels softer and takes colour more richly. Polyester chiffon is cheaper and creases less.

How can I tell if a chiffon saree is pure?

Feel it, look at the sheen, try a water drop and, most reliably, burn a single loose thread. Bemberg burns like paper and leaves soft ash; polyester melts into a hard bead.

Why does Bemberg chiffon cost more?

The fibre is made by one company in Japan, in small quantities, through a careful process. It costs much more to make than polyester.

Is a chiffon saree good for summer?

Bemberg chiffon is. It absorbs moisture and breathes, so it stays comfortable in heat and humidity. Polyester chiffon can feel warm and sticky.

Is chiffon see-through?

Yes, chiffon is sheer. Wear a petticoat that matches the saree or is skin tone, and check it in daylight.

Does Bemberg chiffon wrinkle?

A little more than polyester. The creases steam out easily.

Can I wash a Bemberg chiffon saree at home?

We recommend dry cleaning. Like all cellulose fibres, Bemberg is weaker when wet, so it should not be wrung or scrubbed.

Does a MAYIN chiffon saree come with a blouse piece?

Yes. Every chiffon saree comes with a 1 m crepe blouse piece.

Which occasions suit a chiffon saree?

Parties, cocktails, farewells, day weddings, haldi and mehendi, brunches and festive evenings.

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