Silk Production Explained: From Cocoon to Banarasi Saree

How is silk fibre originally produced?

Silk fibre comes from the cocoons of silkworms, most commonly the mulberry silkworm for standard silk varieties like Katan. The cocoons are carefully unwound to extract long, continuous silk filaments, which are then twisted together to form usable silk thread.

What happens to raw silk thread before weaving?

Raw silk thread is typically degummed to remove its natural sericin coating, resulting in the smooth, lustrous finish associated with pure silk, and may then be dyed to the desired colour before being prepared for the loom.

How is zari thread prepared separately?

Zari thread is prepared by wrapping a fine metallic wire, traditionally silver coated in gold, around a silk or cotton core thread, creating the metallic thread used to weave decorative motifs and borders into the fabric.

What happens once the loom is set up?

A weaver sets up the base warp threads on a traditional pit loom, then begins the painstaking process of interlacing the weft threads, including any zari or coloured resham thread required for the specific design, following the pattern either from memory or a guide card.

How long does the entire process take from raw silk to finished saree?

Combined with dyeing, thread preparation, and the weaving process itself, a single elaborate Banarasi saree can represent weeks of cumulative artisan labour from raw silk to finished, ready-to-wear product.

Explore our handwoven Banarasi saree collection, the product of this centuries-old process.