Kalyani

Handwoven Kanchipuram Korvai Silk Sari 

Parvai's tribute to the temple town of Kanchipuram works exceptionally close to the heart. Every Parvai Original is painstakingly designed & custom-weaved to the precise technical specifications, making these sarees a technical wonder. Our Kanchipurams are woven to be worn repeatedly, passed from one generation to another, and occupy a place of pride in your wardrobe.

• Crafts deeply rooted in history - The korvai of Kanchipuram
• Gold Zari, Pure silk
• Grand Jala Pallu 
• Parvai Original Motifs
• Occasion wear
• Luxurious comfort
• Soft and smooth texture & easy to drape
• Easy to care for and will retain its beauty for years - (Something we are a big believer in).
• Labour Intensive craftwork requiring over 200 person-hours
• Artisans fully paid dignified wages
• Available as a single piece only
• Durable, sustainable, biodegradable

A classic Kanchipuram silk sari in a bright parrot green handwoven with thin horizontal lines in deep marron throughout the sari's body adds to this drape's timeless charm. The body is well contrasted by bright pink shade, adorned with 2 rows of vangki motif lines in a pure gold zari. The sari ends in a deep maroon pallu that features a central band in pai madi motif along with floral moku motifs on with side of this band, all done on adai. It is paired with a continuation blouse in bright pink.

A Kanchipuram's beauty is not just in its colours, motifs and the korvais & petnis. Our primary focus is the technical construction of the saree and the usage of the right thickness of silk that gives it an inimitable fall. Our sarees are luxuriously wide & come with a 1-meter blouse piece.

Please Note: This sari is part of our commissioned work, and Parvai developed the entire design for this sari for our client. The motifs, colours & jacquard cards were customised to achieve an output close to the design.

Dimensions:

• Length - 5.5 meters
• Width - 1.27 meters,
• Blouse - 0.9 meters
• Weight - 810 gms
• Garment care: Take care of your garment, for these are heirloom pieces that can be passed across generations. We recommend gently hand-washing these sarees in cool water with mild detergent. Shade dry these sarees & avoid drying them under direct sunlight.

Each Parvai saree is woven in Kanchipuram in our looms. All materials, including the zari, are sourced ethically & tested for purity. This allows us to control the quality of our sarees from design to finish. We wish for every Parvai Kanchipuram to help restore the dignity & pride of the highly skilled weavers of this area and, in the process, lead to a better understanding & appreciation of the weave.

• Woven in: Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
• Woven with: Pure mulberry silk - 2-ply warp and 4-ply weft, 5G gold zari
• Technique:  Handwoven on a traditional floor loom with jacquard and adai
• Pre-loom preparation time: 12 days
• Motif: Vaangki motif
• Weaving process: 32 days

"Do you ever wonder who made your clothes? If you don't do it yet, it is about time you did. Often, hand-made products are made at the cost of slave labour and inhuman working conditions.

At Parvai, we ensure our process does not directly or indirectly support such practices, pay artisans their due & take pride in ensuring the saree we do not come at the cost of someone else's misery. Each saree is hence truly a labour of love. Our Kanchipuram silks are woven at our looms fully supervised by Parvai's team from design to finish."

• Designed by: Ane Thomas
• Dyers: Shohanbabu and his team of 2 dyers
• Preloom Preparations: Nearly six people are involved in warping and sizing. 
• Petni: Shanthi and Lakshmi
• Woven by 2 Weavers, Mariappan and Komala

Our journey with Parvai began with an urge to create something special, which is why commissioned work is a big part of our story. Not only is it truly exclusive when you commission a sari, but you grow close to it over time as you see it being designed, the jacquards being created, the looms being set up and observing the weaving process. It is hard not to grow close to a sari you see being made from the start – truly yours. Our team aspires to keep our clients updated on the weaving process for commissioned projects – even loom visits can be arranged if requested.

Not only is commissioning a sari fulfilling, but it is also educational. Many times the designs we come up with a call for innovation from the weaver’s end with respect to the choice of reeds, jacquard equipment or even loom set-up. And to see a sari woven, inch by inch, is a true ode to slow fashion & sustainability. Customised work also means dyeing is done exactly to fit the requirements of the sari leading to lesser wastage of resources – it is a much kinder process then. However, like all things hand-made, it comes with its drawbacks. For instance, small irregularities in weaving or minor errors in motifs are observed, especially when a sari is woven entirely in adai. After all, these are not machine-made to be 100% perfect. These minor irregularities do not impact the end quality of the product, nor do they show up when draped. Any sari that does not pass our QC checks is not sold and is simply archived, even if it is a special order. But the charm lies in knowing a hand-made item comes with these minor irregularities, which are a true mark of authenticity for something created from scratch and not woven in mass for the mass market.

Note: This product is handwoven and handblocked, so slight irregularities might exist. Imperfections and variations in the product cannot be termed defects, as these are intrinsic to the handmade process. The product colours may vary due to the light sources or monitor setting.

Do you want to know more? We are available at +917358550888 (WhatsApp) & happy to speak to you about our creations.