Matka Silk

Matka silk sarees are rough handloom silk fabrics made from very thick yarns spun out of pierced cocoon in the weft and organzine in warp. Cocoons required to produce Matka silk are mainly obtained from Karnataka and Kashmir but spinning is mostly done in the villages of Malda and Murshidabad districts in West Bengal by women. Mainly spun by hand, the filaments of the cocoons of this silk from Bihar were originally unwound and plied together on a mud pot, called Matka in the local language and that’s how it got its name. On all Matka sarees, there are slubs and irregularities that give the fabric a unique character. Its texture resembling a tweed cloth, though the fabric of Matka sarees is thick, it is very light and airy.