Caring for Cotton and Silk-Cotton Sarees

First wash. For any handloom cotton or silk-cotton saree, the first wash should be a dry clean. This sets the dyes and stabilises the weave. Skipping this step and hand-washing the first time is the single most common cause of colour bleed and border shrinkage.

Ongoing wash. After the first dry clean, most pure cotton handloom sarees can be gently hand-washed at home in cold water with a mild detergent. Wash the saree separately — never with other clothes. Do not soak. Do not use a washing machine unless the label specifically permits it. Silk-cotton sarees (Maheshwari, Pochampally) are safest with continued dry cleaning.

Drying. Do not wring the saree. Instead, gently press water out and shade-dry inside out. Direct sunlight fades natural dyes over time.

Ironing. Iron on medium heat for cotton, low heat for silk-cotton. Iron on the reverse where possible, especially for buttas and woven motifs. A light starch on the body of a cotton saree helps hold pleats crisply.

Storage. Fold the saree along a fresh crease every few months — the same crease held for a year weakens the fabric along that line. Store in a soft cotton or muslin cover, not in plastic; plastic traps moisture and encourages mildew. A small pouch of dried neem leaves or cloves in the wardrobe keeps insects away without perfuming the fabric.

Wearing. Do not pin the pallu directly through the woven motifs or border — pin above or below. Avoid catching the border on jewellery, chair edges, or bag corners; a border that snags will slowly unravel.

With this care, a good handloom cotton lasts twenty years. A silk-cotton, treated well, becomes softer and more beautiful with every year.