Timeless Khadi

While khadi likely conjures up images of handwoven cotton textile, it is in fact a technique of making textile. It can used to make textiles in pure cotton, wool, silk, linen, or blends of these raw materials, like cotton-silk, linen-silk, cotton-wool and linen-wool or silk-wool. Any textile is called “khadi” when it is made using hand-spun yarn which is then is handwoven on a handloom.

Khadi cotton is popularly known as the “fabric of freedom” given its historical significance in, and association with, India’s freedom movement. This is also a key reason why “khadi” as a word is most commonly associated with a type of cotton instead of the technique which it is.

KHADI COTTON

Khadi cotton comes in variations from rough to super fine, almost translucent feather wight textile. Rough yarn is spun and woven for thicker textile needed for purposes like creating home furnishings, throws etc., while extremely deft and meticulous yarn spinning is necessary for weaving the finer khadi textiles.
The yarn count of a textile determines its coarseness or fineness. Typically, a 60s or 80s count textile is used for making apparel that needs some structure in the fall / flow of the fabric.

Finer counts of 100s and 120s are used to make higher end and lighter weight summer apparel and sarees.

Climate (heat, humidity) and quality of raw material has a huge impact on the yarn making and weaving process. Extremely hot and humid weather is not ideal for spinning the finest yarns with the requisite levels of strength needed for weaving.

Finer khadi cotton fabrics, understandably, come at a premium given the skill necessary for creating the fine yarn and then the textile.

OTHER KHADI TEXTILES

Among other popular khadi textiles come khadi silks, especially khadi mulberry silk followed by varieties like Tussar silk, Ahimsa (Peace) silk and Matka silk. Khadi blends like cotton-silk, silk-wool, cotton-wool, linen-silk are popular textiles given their versatility, variety of textures and weights available and ease of use across seasons.

Cotton-silks are strong, breathable and feather weight. The textile has a soft gleam like silk, making colours pop, while being skin friendly even in the hottest climates. The fabric has a nice drape and soft fluid look making it an ideal choice for light weight dresses, shirts and pants that can be worn year round.

Linen-silk has become very popular as a fabric in recent years. It has a fluid, translucent quality with the texture of khadi, the weight and hence the fall of linen, and the shine of silk.

Cotton-wools are warm and cosy, skin friendly, and make for the perfect textile for creating layering pieces especially for early Spring and for Fall/Winter.

Silk-wool has long been a popular winter time staple in India. It is used for making apparel, shawls, scarves and stoles, and sarees with the perfect level cosy and a nice drape.