Silk and Cotton

Silk: Silks are the wonders from the bounties of nature. The home of a worm turned into fine resplendent fabrics with a natural sheen. Silk is measured in “mm”, pronounced as “mommy”. Raw silks are usually not as lustrous as the processed silks. It has the sericin removed, but looks luster-less and easily absorbs dirt and odors. This silk can be used if one prefers stiff fabrics for occasional wear. Jacquard silks are truly enigmatic with multi-threading so has to give off a light and shade.They are heavy because of the dense weave. There is the douppioni silk cannot resist stress and abrasions. They need dry-cleaning. With the first few washes the fabric sheds away the dyes. Quite unlike douppioni, the noil silk can bear abrasions due to casual wearing and travel. Though often mistaken to be cotton, it has a unique soft and wrinkle-free attribute. The tussah silk is the stubborn one of its breeds. It is difficult to dye tussah silk and therefore, it is usually available in its natural tan or dark wheat color. Charmeuse silk is befitting the common man’s idea of silk. It is apt for blouse, scarves and ladies lingerie. In India Mumbai, Surat, Benaras, Chanderi, Maheshwar, Mysore, Kanchipuram, Tanjore and Kumbakonam contribute to the silk weaving industry. Parts of Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram are also famous for silk.

Cotton: The word ‘cotton’ originates in Arabic. Cotton is the most comfortable and elegant fabric for daily wear. It needs to be tailored properly. It is especially preferable in hot and humid weather. But, it is equally advisable for winters too. It has an ability to retain body temperature. In rainy seasons it takes time to dry up, as the fibers retain water/moisture for a long time. Handloom cotton looks most graceful. Formal or casual Salwar Suits or casual Kurtis are mostly in cotton.

India has a wide variety of cotton. Most wonderfully, in spite of all its diversities, India has always dressed up unanimously in a variety of cotton. It saw the birth of Khadi. In every state, there is the use of cotton for garments.

Cotton can be beautifully printed and embroidered. It remains well-set and is quite manageable. Slimmer bodies look good in cotton apparels. Cotton sarees are also appealing to the Indian women. If worn tidily, a simple cotton printed saree and salwar kameez can really be fascinating and they enhance your dignity.