Printed Saree vs Handwoven Saree: Which to Buy
Koshnika 4 min read
The difference between a printed saree and a handwoven saree is where the pattern comes from. In a handwoven saree the pattern is built into the cloth on a hand-operated loom, which takes days or weeks and prices the saree at several times what a printed one costs. In a printed saree the cloth is made first and the pattern is applied afterwards, which is why a good printed saree sits around ₹2,000. Buy handwoven for a saree you will keep for decades, and printed for the ones you will wear every week.
Everything Koshnika sells is machine-printed. We say that on every product page, and this guide is written so you can judge both kinds on their own terms.
Printed saree vs handwoven saree: the real differences
How the pattern is made. A handwoven pattern is part of the structure. Coloured threads are interlaced on the loom, so the design is the cloth. A printed pattern sits on the surface of a plain cloth, applied by block, screen or machine.
Time and price. A handloom saree can take from a few days to several weeks of one weaver's time, and that labour is the price. Printing is quick once the screens or blocks exist, so the saree reaches you at a fraction of the cost. Our printed sarees run from ₹1,830 to ₹1,960, blouse piece included.
Back of the cloth. On a woven pattern the reverse shows the same design, often with small floating threads. On a print the reverse is usually paler and flatter.
Consistency. Handwoven work carries small irregularities, and those are the point. A machine print repeats exactly.
Weight and wear. Heavy woven borders and brocade work add real weight. A printed saree on modal, viscose or bamboo silk is much lighter, so it suits long days.
They are not opposites
This is the part most buying guides skip. Handwoven and printed describe different things. A plain handloom cotton can be block-printed afterwards, so one saree is both. A powerloom saree can be woven with a pattern, so it is machine-made and woven but not printed. When a listing says handloom, ask whether the design is woven in or printed on. When it says printed, ask whether the cloth underneath is handloom or mill-made. If you want the weaving side explained properly, our guide to handloom vs powerloom Jamdani shows the checks.
How to tell which one you are holding
- Turn the pallu over. A woven design shows on both faces. A print is clearly fainter behind.
- Run a fingernail across a motif. A woven motif has a slight ridge. A print is flat to the touch.
- Look for exact repeats. Two identical motifs that match line for line point to a machine print or a powerloom.
- Read the price against the claim. A saree sold as handwoven at ₹2,000 needs proof. A printed saree at ₹2,000 needs none.
- Read the listing wording. Honest sellers say printed, block-printed or woven in plain words. Vague terms like artisanal or ethnic-inspired usually mean printed.
Which should you buy
Buy handwoven if the saree is an investment or an heirloom, you are happy to dry clean it, and you wear sarees a handful of times a year. The cost buys longevity and the quality of the labour.
Buy printed if you want colour and motifs you can wear regularly, a lighter drape, and a price that lets you own several. Most women I know end up with both: one woven saree for the wedding season, and a rotation of printed ones for everything else. Both are fair purchases as long as the label tells you the truth.
If you are still choosing a base cloth, our guide on how to choose saree fabric covers the options.
How to care for a printed saree
- Dry clean the first time. It sets the print and shows you how the fabric behaves.
- Wash cold and by hand afterwards, with a mild detergent and no long soaking.
- Do not wring. Press the water out between your palms or in a dry towel.
- Dry in shade. Sun fades printed colour first.
- Iron on the reverse at low to medium heat.
Two printed sarees worth looking at
If you want to try a printed saree on a textured base, Anvaya – Beige & Purple Tussar Silk Saree is worth looking at. The Madhubani-inspired border is printed onto genuine tussar, so you get the fabric's grain with a print that stays crisp. ₹1,960, blouse piece included.
For everyday wear, Gulabi – Rose Pink Modal Saree is the lighter option. Soft modal with an all-over Bandhni-inspired print. ₹1,830, blouse piece included.
Browse the full Madhubani saree range, or see the printed modal sarees. Every saree is 5.5 metres plus a 0.8 metre unstitched blouse piece, with free shipping across India, cash on delivery and 48-hour returns.