Collection: Luxury Handwoven Textiles : Heritage Silk, Wool & Cotton

The handwoven textiles collection is the parent collection covering every handwoven piece Home and the World makes: silk cushions in Gyasar brocade, Tanchoi, and Ikat from Varanasi and Pochampally; silk table runners woven in the same cities; handloomed throws in Bhujodi cotton and merino wool from Bhuj, Gujarat; and hand-knotted rugs from the Bhadohi weaving belt. Every piece is made by hand in small, limited runs and sourced directly from artisan families. All orders ship free to the US and Canada with duties covered.

Banarasi is the broad heritage category — fine silk woven in Varanasi with gold or silver zari, dating to the Mughal era. Tanchoi is a Banarasi sub-technique with a satin base and a dense supplementary weft, so the pattern is woven into the cloth with no long floats on the reverse. Gyasar is a heavy brocade woven in Varanasi for the Himalayan and Tibetan-Buddhist market, rich in zari and bold motifs. Ikat, from Pochampally in Telangana, is different in kind: the yarn itself is resist-dyed before weaving, giving its pattern a soft, feathered edge.

Handwoven means the cloth is made on a hand- or pit-operated loom, with the weaver passing the weft by hand rather than a powered machine doing it automatically. The motif is built into the weave rather than printed on top, so it does not crack, fade, or peel, and subtle irregularities give the cloth a depth that power-loomed and printed fabric replicate only on the surface. A well-made handwoven piece is an heirloom rather than a furnishing.

Zari is the metallic thread — historically real gold or silver, today usually a fine gold- or silver-coloured metallic yarn — that is woven into Banarasi and Gyasar silk to form the motifs and give the cloth its luminous shimmer. Because zari is woven into the structure of the fabric rather than embroidered on afterwards, the pattern is integral to the cloth and does not lift or fray with normal use.

Mulberry silk is the finest and most lustrous natural silk, produced by silkworms fed exclusively on mulberry leaves. Its long, smooth, uniform fibres give the cloth its sheen, strength, and soft hand, which is why it is the traditional choice for Banarasi, Tanchoi, and Gyasar weaving. Home and the World uses natural mulberry silk across its handwoven silk pieces.

The silk cushions and table runners are woven in Varanasi (Banaras) in Uttar Pradesh and in Pochampally in Telangana. The handloomed throws are woven in Bhuj, in the Kutch region of Gujarat. The hand-knotted rugs come from the Bhadohi weaving belt, India's historic carpet-making region. Every piece is sourced directly from the artisan families who make it.

Silk pieces should be spot-cleaned or dry-cleaned to protect the zari and the dye. Merino wool throws are best dry-cleaned or gently hand-washed cold and dried flat. Bhujodi cotton can usually be hand-washed cold and air-dried. Keep all natural fibres out of prolonged direct sunlight to preserve colour. Full care instructions ship with every order.

Yes. All orders ship free to the US and Canada with all duties covered, so the listed price is the final price with no charges at delivery. Most in-stock pieces ship within 2–5 business days, and every item is limited edition and made in a small run.