(D)Effects

We strive to bring best quality handlooms to you. However, it is important to remember that handloom being an entirely manual production process and decentralized largely, there may be some irregularities or variations. We hope this section helps you understand the different kinds of ‘defects’ and how they occur so the customer may be willing to re-consider before returning or exchanging a product



Warp Banding

Sometimes when yarn from different dyeing batches is used in the same warp there is bound to be slight variation in the tone which appears like a band along the length of the sari. Sometimes when Khadi yarn is used in the warp, due to the thick and thin nature of the yarn, it may appear as length-wise bands.




Weft Banding

Every time a weft is inserted, it is beaten into place by the weaver using the sley. If there is a slight variation in the pressure of the beating, it results in differential packing of the weft and may appear as a band across the fabric. In case of use of Khadi yarn in the weft, due to thick and thin nature of the yarn also weft banding may occur.

Usually, after weaving 6-10" the weaver winds the woven cloth and releases more warp to begin weaving again. During this transition, the pressure applied to the fabric may vary slightly and may also appear as a band across the fabric.





Cut Threads & Floating threads

A weaver at any time is working with 3000-4000 warp threads. When one of the warp yarns snaps while weaving, sometimes it may escape his attention and s/he may not realize it unless it appears as a 'gap' or line in the warp. He may then stop the loom, rejoin the thread and restart. When he misses spotting it at the right time, it may entangle with the nearby threads and snap them as well resulting in ‘Cut threads’. Or yarns may be prevented from moving up and down while weaving due to the snapped yarn. Since these yarns do not 'participate' in weaving, they float on the surface of the textile until they are corrected. These form ‘Floating threads’.

 

Stains in the border or selvedge


When sizing is done on the street, the weavers mark out the demarcations between saris using chalk or mud so that they know when the piece (sari/dupatta) ends. It may go after a few washes.

Holes near the borders

Usually, the woven part of the warp needs to be kept stiff along the width. Weavers usually use iron hooks to 'hold' the width. Sometimes, if it becomes too stiff, a hole may be created.

Unclear appearance of border design

If the dobby pegs drop out and are not replaced while weaving, the sequence of the pattern may miss and the motif may appear fuzzy.

Oil Stains

While weaving, especially during winters, the warp yarns do not separate easily. So, weavers tend to swiftly 'run' a small cloth ball dipped in oil on the reed (a component of the loom which keeps yarns separated) to facilitate free movement while weaving.