Silk for Indian Ethnic Wear.

Indian ethnic wear draws on a remarkable diversity of silk types, each with its own character, regional association, and appropriate context. Mulberry silk — smooth, lustrous, and even — is the most formal and the most universally applicable. Its smooth surface takes colour deeply and evenly, making it the ideal cloth for the plain silk kurta or the foundation layer under embroidery work. Tussar silk (Kosa silk), with its warm golden tone and natural texture, has a specifically Indian character associated with the forests of Central India. Raw silk, with its characteristic slub and semi-crisp hand, bridges formal and artisanal. Banarasi silk, woven on Jacquard looms in Varanasi with intricate patterns in gold and silver zari, is the most ornate and the most overtly ceremonial of Indian silks.

Silk requires more careful care than cotton or suiting wool. Most mulberry silk and raw silk garments can be hand-washed in cool water with a gentle detergent, pressed on the reverse side with a cool iron. Tussar silk and heavily embellished garments should be dry-cleaned. No silk garment should be wrung or squeezed — roll in a clean towel to remove water, then hang to air-dry. Store in a breathable cotton or muslin bag away from direct light, which fades silk over time.

For garments worn only a few times per year — a wedding sherwani, a Diwali kurta — professional cleaning before storage and storage in a cool, dry, dark location with a few neem leaves to deter insects is adequate protection for years of careful use.