Our Fabrics
At Lotus Aurea, every saree begins with the fabric — an ancient conversation between silk, loom, and the hands of a master weaver. Each fabric type carries its own character, history, and drape. Understanding these distinctions helps you choose a saree that is truly yours.
Katan Silk
Katan is the purest and most prized of all Banarasi silks. Woven from twisted, degummed pure silk threads on both the warp and weft, Katan fabric has an exceptionally smooth, taut surface with a luminous sheen that deepens with age. It is firm to the touch yet flows with quiet elegance when draped. Katan sarees are the fabric of weddings, heirlooms, and celebrations — pieces that are passed from one generation to the next. Because of the density and precision required in weaving, a single Katan saree can take weeks or even months to complete on a handloom.
Kora Silk (Organza)
Kora, also known as Banarasi organza, is woven from raw, ungummed silk threads that retain their natural stiffness. The result is a fabric that is sheer, crisp, and luminous — with a delicate transparency that catches light beautifully. Kora sarees are lighter than Katan and carry a distinctive crispness in their drape, making them particularly suited to warm weather and festive occasions. When adorned with zari or meenakari work, the sheer base allows the embellishments to appear almost suspended in light.
Georgette
Banarasi georgette is woven using highly twisted silk threads, which give the fabric its signature crinkled texture and exceptional fluidity. Unlike the structured drape of Katan or Kora, georgette falls in soft, continuous waves — making it one of the most flattering and wearable of all Banarasi fabrics. It is lightweight, breathable, and comfortable across seasons. Georgette sarees are often adorned with intricate jaal or butis woven in zari, which contrast beautifully against the soft, matte texture of the base fabric.
Tussar Silk
Tussar silk is sourced from wild silkworms found in the forests of central India — largely Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar. The filaments are shorter and thicker than mulberry silk, giving the fabric its distinctive earthy texture and natural golden hue. Tussar sarees woven in Banaras tend to be richly textured and substantial in hand, making them especially appropriate for cooler months. The natural colour of tussar accepts dyes in deep, mellow tones — ochres, rusts, forest greens, and indigos — that complement its organic character.
Tussar Georgette
Tussar Georgette is an inventive hybrid fabric born from the ingenuity of Banarasi weavers. It is constructed using a Katan silk warp and a tussar weft, then bleached and dyed using a specialised process that softens the tussar filaments and imparts a fluid drape. The result is a fabric that carries the subtle graininess and earthy warmth of tussar alongside the graceful fall of georgette. It flows beautifully, drapes with ease, and has a soft luminosity that is distinct from both its parent fabrics. Only a handful of master weavers in Banaras still create this rare cloth.
Muga Silk
Muga silk is one of India's most extraordinary and rare natural fibres, produced exclusively by the Antheraea assamensis silkworm native to Assam. Its long, golden filaments have a natural lustre that intensifies with each wash — unlike any other silk in the world. Bringing Muga to Banaras is a labour of devotion: the silk is neither easy to source nor simple to weave, and very few artisans possess the skill to honour its glorious golden skein. The finished fabric has the sheen of cotton and the fall of silk, is lightweight, and wears beautifully across all seasons. A Muga silk saree is among the rarest and most treasured pieces a collector can own.
Chanderi Silk
Woven in the ancient town of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh, Chanderi fabric is renowned for its sheer, gossamer quality and its distinctive translucency. Traditionally woven on pit looms using a cotton warp and silk weft, Chanderi sarees are feather-light with a delicate shimmer that comes from the fine silk threads woven into the fabric. The weave is open and airy, making Chanderi one of the most comfortable fabrics for warm climates. Lotus Aurea sources Chanderi sarees adorned with traditional coin motifs, small butis, and fine zari borders that have been the hallmark of this weaving tradition for centuries.
Jaipuri Cotton & Block Print
From the workshops of Jaipur comes a very different craft tradition — one built on natural dyes, hand-carved wooden blocks, and centuries of artisan knowledge. Jaipuri cotton sarees are woven from fine, breathable cotton and printed by hand using intricate wooden blocks dipped in natural or vegetable dyes. Each print is applied by a skilled craftsperson, block by block, with the slight imperfections of hand placement giving every piece its unique character. Cool, vibrant, and deeply connected to Rajasthan's artistic heritage, Jaipuri sarees are ideal for daywear and warm-weather celebrations.
Each fabric at Lotus Aurea is sourced directly from artisan clusters — from the ghats of Varanasi to the workshops of Chanderi and the block-print studios of Jaipur. We work only with weavers and craftspeople who carry forward these traditions with integrity and pride.