What every handloom and silk inspection covers
Sarees and dress lengths are inspected piece by piece. Fabric sold by the metre is inspected roll by roll, or by the folded length (than) that hand-weavers deliver. Either way, every inspection covers the same core points before the product-specific checks:
- Quantity and status. Pieces or metres by design and colour, and how many are woven, washed, finished and packed. Hand-woven orders often arrive at the exporter in batches from many weavers.
- Dimensions. Length, width and, for sarees, the blouse piece and the pallu (the decorated end). Hand-woven widths vary along the length, so the tolerance must be agreed.
- Weave and print against the approved sample. Design, motif count, border and pallu layout, colour and handle, under the same light.
- Faults. Broken ends, missing picks, floats, holes, oil and rust stains, uneven dyeing, print misregistration and rough selvedges.
- Colour behaviour. A wet white cloth rubbed on dark borders and prints shows loose dye. Wash and light fastness are lab tests.
- Fibre, zari and label claims. Fibre content labels, Silk Mark and India Handloom labels, and any GI claim are checked against what the supplier can prove.
- Packing. Folding, inner wrap, cartons, dryness and shipping marks.
Sample sizes follow ISO 2859-1; see the AQL guide. A saree takes longer to open, measure and refold than a scarf, so we confirm the man-days before you book.
Natural variation or defect: agree it first
Hand-woven and hand-printed cloth is never uniform. A slub in raw silk, a slightly uneven beat in a cotton handloom, or a faint overlap where two print blocks meet is part of the product. A broken end running down a saree, a hole, or a misprinted motif is not. The difference must be written down before production, or every inspection turns into an argument.
The most reliable way is a set of reference pieces signed by buyer and supplier: an approved sample, plus examples at the edge of what is acceptable. The inspector compares the goods with that range, not with a single perfect sample. The same applies to colour: dye lots from different weavers or dye houses differ, so agree whether shade grouping within a lot is required.
How the checklist changes by product
| Product | What the inspector adds |
|---|---|
| Silk sarees | Zari type and tarnish, brocade floats on the back, border and pallu joins, Silk Mark labels, GI claims |
| Cotton and handloom sarees | Starch and sizing, colour bleeding, shrinkage, weave density, light-fabric flammability for the US |
| Synthetic and printed sarees | Print registration, crepe shrinkage, stone and sequin security, "art silk" labelling |
| Handloom fabrics | Roll grading, width along the length, ends and picks, selvedge, India Handloom Brand claims |
| Silk fabrics | Silk type, weight, degumming evenness, water spotting, seam slippage, shade lots |
| Hand-block-printed textiles | Block joins and registration, dye wash-off, dabu cracking, natural-dye and azo-free evidence |
Finished goods made from these fabrics have their own pages, for example scarves and stoles and dress materials.
Fibre, zari and origin claims
Price in this industry follows the claim. Pure silk costs more than viscose sold as "art silk"; real or silver-based zari more than metallised film; hand-woven more than power-loom. An inspection screens each claim and records the evidence.
- Fibre. A burn test on a loose yarn separates protein fibre from cellulose and synthetics. Only a lab gives the composition for a label.
- Silk Mark. A voluntary label from the Silk Mark Organisation of India, set up by the Central Silk Board, for pure natural silk products. Labels carry a unique number; the inspector records them and checks that the supplier is an authorised user.
- India Handloom Brand. A government registration for handloom products, run by the Development Commissioner (Handlooms). The registration covers named products, so check the product on your order is one of them.
- Geographical Indications. Names such as Banaras Brocades and Sarees, Kancheepuram Silk and Kota Doria are registered GIs in India. Ask a supplier who uses them for its authorised-user registration.
- Handloom or power-loom. A visit to the weaving units, and the evenness of the weave, selvedge and motifs, show which loom was used. Record it with photos.
Market rules for sarees and fabrics
| Market | Rule | What it means at the factory |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (16 CFR 303) | Fibre names and percentages, origin and the importer's identity. Metallic ornamentation up to 5% of fibre weight may be stated as "exclusive of ornamentation" |
| United States | Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR 423) | Care instructions on textile wearing apparel and on piece goods sold to make it |
| United States | 16 CFR 1610 flammability | Light silk, cotton and viscose fabrics are not exempt by weight and need a lab test; see 16 CFR 1610 |
| European Union | Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 | Only listed fibre names; visible, purely decorative fibres up to 7% of the weight need not be counted. See EU textile labelling |
| European Union | REACH Annex XVII | Azo dyes that release listed amines are restricted in skin-contact textiles; see azo dyes and restricted substances |
| Canada | Textile Labelling Act | Bilingual fibre content and dealer identity; see Canada CCPSA and textile labelling |
Flammability, fibre and chemical tests are done by an accredited lab. We can pull and seal samples and check the lab report against the goods.
Where handloom, silk and sarees are made in India
| Town or region | Status | Typical products |
|---|---|---|
| Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Town of Export Excellence for handloom and handicraft (Foreign Trade Policy 2023); Banaras Brocades and Sarees GI | Silk brocade sarees and fabrics |
| Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu | Kancheepuram Silk GI (IP India application 15) | Silk sarees with heavy borders |
| Kannur (Kerala), Karur and Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Kekhra (Uttar Pradesh) | Towns of Export Excellence for handlooms (DGFT) | Handloom fabrics and made-ups |
| Kota region, Rajasthan | Kota Doria GI (application 12) | Light chequered cotton and silk sarees |
| Jaipur, Rajasthan | Town of Export Excellence for handicrafts; Sanganeri Hand Block Printing and Bagru Hand Block Print GIs | Hand-block-printed fabrics and made-ups |
| Bhagalpur (Bihar), Sualkuchi (Assam) | Silk centres named by IBEF | Tussar and other silk fabrics |
| Surat, Gujarat | About 40% of India's man-made fabric output (Surat Municipal Corporation, undated). Its Town of Export Excellence status is for gems and jewellery, not textiles | Polyester and viscose sarees, printed fabrics, zari |
IBEF reports handloom exports of US$153.8 million in FY2025-26 and silk exports of US$394.8 million for April 2025 to February 2026, of which natural silk yarn, fabrics and made-ups were US$212.6 million. Clear To Load is based in Jodhpur, has inspectors in Jaipur and Delhi NCR, and covers any town in India; travel is set by travel band. For bed, table and kitchen linen made from these fabrics, see home textile inspection in India. The product pages below cover each product in detail.
Sources
- EPCH press release: Moradabad and Varanasi declared Towns of Export Excellence (31 Mar 2023)
- DGFT: Foreign Trade Policy 2023 presentation (new TEEs, Varanasi: handloom and handicraft)
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence
- IP India GI registry: Banaras Brocades and Sarees (application 99)
- IP India GI registry: Kancheepuram Silk (application 15)
- IP India GI registry: Kota Doria (application 12)
- IP India GI registry: Sanganeri Hand Block Printing (application 147)
- IP India GI registry: Bagru Hand Block Print (application 183)
- IBEF: Handloom industry and exports (updated Oct 2026)
- IBEF: Indian silk industry and exports (updated Aug 2026)
- Surat Municipal Corporation: The City, Contribution
- India Handloom Brand (Ministry of Textiles)
- Vikaspedia: Silk Mark Organisation of India
- FTC: Threading your way through the labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts