Everyday wear

What daily wear is

A daily saree has to be comfortable, breathable and affordable, and above all easy to care for. Cotton is the most common fibre, in handloom or mill-made form, followed by blends and, for those who can afford them, light silks. In many homes a woman will own a handful of everyday sarees and rotate them, with a few better ones kept for visits and occasions. The drape is usually a simple one, tucked in at the waist, with the pallu pinned at the shoulder, or tied back for work in the field or kitchen.

Cottons by region

Bengal is known for the tant, a crisp, light cotton with a woven border, and for the Dhaniakhali and Begampuri varieties. Odisha weaves the Sambalpuri and Kotpad cottons. Tamil Nadu's Kornad and Chettinad cottons, with their bold checks and wide borders, are worn daily in many homes, as is the Kerala cotton. Andhra and Telangana have the Gadwal, Uppada and Narayanpet cottons, and Karnataka has the Ilkal and the Guledgudda khana. Madhya Pradesh offers Maheshwari and Chanderi, while Maharashtra and Gujarat have their own mill and handloom cottons.

Handloom, mill and powerloom

A handloom saree is woven by hand on a loom, and its small irregularities are part of its character. A mill or powerloom saree is machine-made, often cheaper and more uniform. Both are worn daily, and many women choose by price, feel and how the cloth holds up through repeated washing. Handloom cottons tend to soften with age and are valued for that. If you want to support weavers directly, look for the Handloom Mark and ask the seller where the cloth was woven. A cotton saree that is described as handloom should have visible variation along the border and pallu.

Wearing and caring for daily sarees

Cotton sarees are often starched, especially in Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Andhra, to give a crisp fall, and women either do this at home with rice or kanji water or send the cloth to a dhobi or ironer. The first wash of a new handloom saree should be done separately, as the dyes may bleed. Line dry in shade, iron on the reverse and fold along the pleats. Mend small tears early with a fine thread, as many daily sarees are worn for years and a few even become soft blankets or cloth for the next generation.

Worth knowing

• Tant saree: The crisp Bengal cotton with a woven border.
• Kornad cotton: A Tamil Nadu cotton with bold checks and wide borders.
• Gadwal saree: A Telangana weave that joins a cotton body to a silk border.
• Maheshwari saree: A light cotton and silk weave from Madhya Pradesh.
• Ilkal saree: A Karnataka saree with a distinctive joined pallu.
• Handloom Mark: An Indian label that identifies genuine handloom products.

Good to know

• Wash new cotton separately the first few times, in cold water.
• Dry in shade and iron on the reverse while slightly damp.
• Starch lightly if you like a crisp fall, and rinse well.

Sources and further reading

• Sari on Wikipedia
• Handloom Mark, Ministry of Textiles