Our Crafts

Discover the heritage textiles and artisanal crafts behind DOR. At DOR, we do not source sarees - we source stories. Behind every piece in our collection is a weaving tradition that is centuries old, a region that has perfected it, and a pair of hands that has spent decades learning its rhythm. This page is our way of introducing you to the craft before you wear it.

Banarasi Weave: The Gold Standard of Indian Silk

In the narrow lanes of Varanasi, where the Ganges moves slowly, the Banarasi loom has been turning for over 500 years.
Banarasi sarees are woven on a handloom using fine silk threads interlaced with real zari - a metallic yarn traditionally made from silver coated in gold. The motifs - paisleys, florals, jālis, and kadwa buttas are not printed or embroidered. They are woven directly into the fabric, one pick of the shuttle at a time.
A single Banarasi saree can take anywhere from 15 days to 6 months to complete, depending on the complexity of the design. Our Meenakari and Rangkat Banarasi sarees sit at the most intricate end of that spectrum, pieces where two or more colours are interlocked on the loom to create a design that shimmers differently from every angle.
When you wear a DOR Banarasi, you are wearing the life’s work of a master weaver.

Jamdani Weaving: The Art of the Floating Thread

Jamdani is one of the oldest and most technically demanding weaving traditions in the world, recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Originating in Bengal, it is woven on a handloom without any mechanical aid, using a technique where supplementary weft threads are worked directly into the base fabric by hand, one motif at a time.
The result is a fabric of extraordinary delicacy - lightweight, sheer, and patterned with geometric or floral motifs that appear to float within the weave. Muslin Jamdani, the finest variety, is so sheer it was once called “woven air” by Mughal emperors.
Each Jamdani saree at DOR is woven by artisans who have learned the craft within their families, often from the age of ten. No machine can replicate the hand’s sensitivity to tension, weight, and pattern. What you hold is irreplaceable.

Chanderi: Silk, Cotton & the Shimmer of Central India

From the town of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh comes a fabric unlike any other - a silk-cotton blend so fine it catches the light like morning mist. Chanderi sarees are distinguishedby their signature sheer texture, their gold zari borders, and their delicate woven motifs:coins, flowers, and geometric patterns drawn from the architecture of the region.The weaving process begins with hand-spun yarn that is starched, dyed, and carefullywound onto the loom. The zari work is woven in simultaneously, requiring a weaver tomanage multiple shuttles at once. The craft has been practised in Chanderi for over 700years, and the town’s weavers, predominantly from the Ansari and Koshti communities - have passed the technique down within families across generations. Our Chanderi collection ranges from everyday cotton-silk blends to fine Chanderi Pattu pieces with dense zari work.

Ajrakh Block Printing: Geometry Pressed into Cloth

Originating in the Kutch region of Gujarat and in parts of Rajasthan, Ajrakh is a form of natural resist-dyeing and block printing that uses hand-carved wooden blocks to stamp intricate geometric and floral patterns onto fabric. What makes Ajrakh unique is its process, the cloth passes through multiple rounds of dyeing and washing over several days, with each step building depth of colour and pattern. The traditional palette draws from nature: indigo for blue, madder root for red, pomegranate rind for gold.

Our Ajrakh sarees with mirror work add a layer of hand-stitched shisha embroidery to the printed fabric — a tradition from the same region that catches light in small, brilliant flashes. Each saree takes up to two weeks to complete from first print to final wash.

Maheshwari: A Queen’s Legacy in Silk and Cotton

Born in the 18th century in Maheshwar, a town on the banks of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh. It was commissioned by the Holkar queen Ahilyabai Holkar, who brought weavers from across India to develop a fabric worthy of her court. The result was a silk-cotton blend with a distinctive reversible border, the same design appears on both sides, a hallmark of Maheshwari craftsmanship.

The sarees are lighter than pure silk but more lustrous than cotton, with a subtle sheen that deepens in evening light. Traditional motifs include rudraksha, bel (a botanical pattern), and fine checks.

Today the weavers of Maheshwar - primarily from the Momins and Salvi communities -continue the tradition on pit looms, often in workshops beside the river where the craft was born. Our Hand Painted Maheshwari sarees carry an additional layer of craft: each is painted by hand after weaving, adding motifs in natural dyes that make every piece entirely one of a kind.

Kosa & Muga Silk: India’s Wild Silks

Not all silk comes from the mulberry worm. India is home to several wild silk traditions, and two of the most beautiful are Kosa and Muga.

Kosa silk is produced in Chhattisgarh from the cocoons of the tussar silkworm, which feeds on forest trees rather than cultivated mulberry leaves. The result is a silk with a natural texture, slightly raw, earthy, and warm and a golden-brown hue that cannot be replicated by dye. Kosa silk softens and develops a deeper lustre with each wear, making it one of the few fabrics that genuinely improves over time.

Muga silk is unique to Assam and is one of the rarest textiles in the world. Produced from the cocoons of the Antheraea assamensis silkworm, Muga has a natural golden sheen that is permanent, it does not fade with washing or age. In Assam, Muga has traditionally been reserved for royalty and ceremonial occasions. To own a Muga saree is to own something that cannot be found anywhere else on earth.

Both silks are handwoven by artisans in their respective regions, without chemical processing, and in strictly limited quantities.