Mashru Weaving
Silk to the eye, cotton to the skin — a satin built around a rule.
A satin-weave fabric of Gujarat and the Deccan with a silk face and a cotton back, developed so that the shiny cloth touching the skin would be cotton rather than silk. Traditionally striped in vivid ikat-dyed bands of red, yellow, green and purple, mashru was worn as kurtas, cholis and linings across western India.
Craft at a Glance
Origin
Patan, Gujarat
Craft Type
Satin-weave handloom textile
Materials
Silk warp, cotton weft; acid or natural dyes for the warp ikat; a pit loom; a wooden or agate burnisher and starch for the glazing finish.
Known For
Silk-face cotton-back satin, ikat stripes, glazed finish
Time to Create
Several days to a week for a sari or dress length, plus warp dyeing
Process Steps
Preparing the warp
A long silk warp is wound and sections are tied off to resist dye where the stripe colours must change.
Ikat dyeing
The warp is dip-dyed colour by colour, ties added and removed between baths, to build the banded pattern.
Satin weaving
The dyed silk warp is woven over cotton weft in a satin structure so silk floats on the face and cotton lies on the back.
Glazing
The cloth is starched and burnished with a smooth tool to bring up the satin sheen.
Technique Glossary
A Craft Through Time
Medieval
A fabric for a rule
Cotton-backed satin is woven in Gujarat and the Deccan to provide silk's look without silk against the skin.
18th–19th century
Regional dress
Mashru is widely used for kurtas, cholis, linings and furnishing across western and central India.
20th century
Collapse
Powerloom satin, synthetic fabric and changing clothing leave only a handful of Patan families weaving mashru.
2000s
Designer revival
Craft organisations and fashion designers commission mashru from Patan weavers, reintroducing it as accessories and apparel.
Did You Know?
Mashru is engineered fabric: the weave is deliberately arranged so that in wear only cotton ever touches the body, while every visible surface stays silk.
Every craft has a story. Every story begins with tradition.