Banana Silk Sarees

Banana silk is drawn from the pseudostem of the banana plant — the trunk left standing once the fruit is cut, which would otherwise be burned or ploughed back into the field. In Tamil Nadu the cloth is called vaazhai naar pattu. The stem is stripped by hand, sun-dried, softened and spun. It earns the word silk from its lustre and its fall, not from its origin.

Why it suits an Indian summer. Banana fibre is light and dry against the skin, closer to a fine cotton than to a slippery art silk. It holds a pleat without starch and does not cling in humidity — which makes it a practical choice for a long temple morning or an all-day family function, while the zari border carries it into the evening.

Two print families. The Poongodi range takes a peacock-and-paisley vine with blue lotus; the Roja range takes a full-colour rose bouquet. Both are brush printed rather than roller printed, so the colour sits with depth and the edge of each petal stays soft. A pair of Thangam sarees keeps the body plain and lets a broad woven zari border do the work.

A vegan silk in the real sense. No silkworm is boiled to make it, and the raw material is agricultural waste. If you have been looking for a festive saree that does not compromise on either drape or conscience, this is the shelf to start on.

Every saree arrives with a matching unstitched blouse piece. Free shipping across India, cash on delivery available.