Known as the ‘Garment Capital’ of India, Karnataka is a hub of historical and cultural significance in India. Karnataka’s silk and cotton agriculture adds to the textile prowess of the state. Karnataka is known for its traditional silk weaving, it is the largest producer of Mulbary silk in the country, exporting about 65% of the country’s silk. With sarees and weaving styles dating back centuries, you will find authentic handloom weavers as well as powerlooms here. Karnataka is a pioneer in modern textiles as one of the first plants MSK Mills was set up in Kalburgi in 1885, and today Karnataka is world’s biggest spinning unit in just one plant that is the M/S Himatsingkasiede with 2.11 lakh spindles. 20% of Indian Garments are made in Karnataka. Here is a list of famous textiles of Karnataka and where they belong.
Ilkal saree from Bagalkot District
Bagalkot has been a weaving centre since the 8th century and gives this traditional saree its name ‘Ilkal’. It is majorly worn in in North Karnataka and what sets it apart from other sarees is that the pallu and the body of the saree are weaved separately. The saree is then worn together with a series of loops in a wrapping technique called Topi Teni which is practiced exclusively in Ilkal. They are made with cotton, silk, and artificial silk yarn or a combination of those. Famous for the beautiful patterns of white temples and red base pallu, these sarees come in different lengths and allow women to wrap the saree on their heads.
Kasuti Saree, Hubli
The term comes from the 2 words Kai and Suti which mean hand and cotton respectively, this basically indicates that this saree has intricate hand embroidery made using cotton threads. Coming from the Chaluka dynasty, it is believed to have evolved from the 6th and 12th centuries. Known for their symmetrical stitches and knots this was extensively practiced in the Dharwad district and are commonly done on the ilka sarees and Khana blouses. These embroidered patterns are carried out directly on the cloth rather than being traced, there are 4 types of stitches like gavanthi, murgi, negi, and menthi. These designs are inspired by rangolis
Molakalmuru saree, Molakalmuru
Made in the Molakalmuru, Chitradurga district, this saree is known for its distinctive design of Butta (motifs), gold zari and texture. These sarees are long-lasting and woven using the three shuttle techniques that give the pallu a colour that contrasts with the body, You will commonly find swans, arrows, lotus, peacocks and gandaberunda (two-headed bird) as motifs on this saree. These sarees are long-lasting and with a strong weave as it is woven using twisted and double-lined silk yarns. Weavers from the Melkote, Saurastra and Andhra Pradesh settled here years ago, effectively making this a weavers hub.
Udupi cotton sarees, Udupi
Known for their bright and contrasting pallu, these sarees are made from cotton yarns that have finer counts. They generally have 80” and 60” count made using Malabar frame looms which were introduced by Basel Mission in the 1840s. These sarees gained popularity in the freedom movement as they are traditionally Indian and they were boycotting Western goods to further isolate the westerners from earning anymore from the populous. They are eco-friendly and have a unique method that includes applying rice and Maixe starch in the process of weaving this is done to strengthen the yarn and prevent breakage, it also gives them a shiner look!
Mysore silk saree, Mysore
These sarees are known for their beautiful colours, qualities, shine and elegance. Known as one of the most expensive sarees, they are made 100% silk and even zari contains 65% pure silver and .65% gold. They even come in 2 varieties crepe de chine and georgette. These also have another unique quality of being produced by only Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Ltd (KSIC) as it holds the patent for its production. Initially, these were worn by royalty and as ornamental fabrics for armed forces.