Mashru Fabric

1. MASHRU

2. MASHRU…. introduction
• Mashru is the name assigned to a special
kind of a mixed fabric. It is unique in its
composition and style. The peculiarity of the
fabric called Mashru lies in the fact that it is
woven with a combination of cotton and silk.
This brings about a totally different texture to
the fabric often highly appreciated.

3. • It was woven all over India, and
now it is woven only in Gujarat.
Patan is one of the most
important centres for Mashru
weaving. It often combines ikat
patterns in stripes, along with
woven patterns, through the
introduction of extra warp
threads, or by the depression of
the warp threads, and is woven
on a pit loom.

4. HISTORY….
• The tradition of Mashru in India is old and may
be influenced by weaving traditions prevalent in
Iraq and the Arab countries. Yemen was the
earliest centre of Ikat production in the Middle
East. The Yemeni Ikat production rose as the
direct result of the Textile trade with India. The
satin ikats of Turkey and Syria evolved as a
variant of the Indian/Yemeni tradition, replacing
the all cotton frabic with a silk warp and a
cotton weft.

6. • It is believed that these thicker and more
luxuriant textiles were brought to India from
the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century
onwards and formed the basis of Indian
Mashru production.

7. • With the spread of Islam in India, the group
of mixed fabrics, which are made in India
since ancient times came to be referred to as
MASHRU. Mashru is an Arabic word meaning
“permitted”. According to the Muslim
religious law, “shar’ia”, men were not
permitted to wear pure silk however silk
mixed with cotton was permitted. Therefore
Mashru was a very popular fabric among
Muslims.

8. • It was traded in
considerable quantity to
Persia, Egypt, Turkey and
other Middle Eastern,
Mediterranean, and
African countries from
the Gujarat Ports. The
production of Mashru
started declining from
the late 19th century.

9. DIFFERENT CENTRES…Mashru was
produced in
several centers in
India:-
• lucknow,
Daryabad and
Fayzabad in Uttar
Pradesh.
• Samna in
Patiyala,
• Tatta in Sindh,
• Coromandel
Coast,
• Tanjore,
• Trichinopoly,

10. • Madurai in Tamil Nadu,
• Aurangabad,
• Varanasi in North India,
• West Bengal
• At present the production of Mashru is
limited to Patan, Mandvi, and Surat in
Gujarat.

11. VARIETIES….
• Mashru has different
names based on their
pattern, color, weave
or place of
manufacture.
• Well known varieties
are alacha, qatni,
gulbadan, susi, galta
and sangi. Gujarat was
famous for its alacha
and qatni variety.

12. RAW MATERIAL

13. PROCESS….
• It’s the play with warp
and weft that gives
Mashru it’s distinctive
appearance. It is woven
on a pit loom.
• It has a silk warp and
cotton weft,
• This skip and pick
weaving technique gives
the fabric a delicate
smoothness and alluring
sheen.

14. • Mashru fabric is made using satin weave by interlacing silk
and cotton yarns. Cotton makes the weft, or the horizontal
yarns while silk is used for the warp, or the vertical yarns.
In this weave, each silk yarn goes under one cotton yarn
and above five or eight or more cotton yarns, giving an
appearance of a shiny surface that looks like it is made up
of only silk, while the underside of the fabric is cotton.
Since the structure of the fabric allows for more yarns in a
given area, it also makes the fabric stronger.
• Traditionally the weavers use seven/eight taana(warp)
and one cotton baana(weft).

16. COLOURS…
• The
dominant
colors used
in the
production
are glowing
shades of
red, yellow,
green and
blue.

17. • Mashru is distinct
from other fabrics
because it has two
faces, cotton on the
reverse side of the
fabric, and silk on
the outer.

18. • The double sided fabric enabled men to wear
clothing that had on the exterior the rich,
decorative qualities of woven silk. When
worn, the cotton weft is inside and the silk
faces outwards, Thus when used in garments
the cotton layer comes in contact with the
body forms an absorbent protective layer to
the rich and decorative exterior.

19. • Weaving is characterized by its bold colourful
patterns and stripes of various colours and
sizes, including small floral or geometric
patterns in alternate stripes.

20. • In the
contemporary
scenario, the
fabric is now
used for
decorative
cushions and
table
accessories ,
Bags apart
from
garments.

21. PATTERNS….
• The mush-seen patterns usually include stripes
offset by pin-head dots. The cloth was
distinguished by its butis woven in circular shapes
that gave an impression of ashrafis (gold coins).
The ashrafis were usually woven in gold zari.
“In India, weavers continuously experimented
and adopted techniques of other regions. A
popular synthesis was using tie-dye yarn, much
the way it’s done in ikkat weaving. The appeal of
mashru lies in it being a singular blend of silk-
cotton with a luxurious look.

22. • This is a mixed fabric with a woven stripe or
zigzag pattern. The warp and weft used were
of two different materials (silk and cotton,
cotton and linen, silk and wool or wool and
cotton) in different colors. It was used mostly
for lower garments such as trousers, the
lining of the heavy brocade garments or as
furnishing.

23. • While the small dotted
pattern is preferred in Anjar,
Kutch, the striped ones are
liked all over the country.
• Ikat pattern techniques are
often used during the creation
of Mashru fabric. This allows
for a wide variety of patterns
and shapes to be used thereby
increasing the aesthetics of
the fabric. Solid stripes and
strong hues are used to great
effect.

24. MASHRU WEAVER

26. IKKAT…
• Ikat, or Ikkat, is the method of weaving that
uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye
on either the warp or weft fibres.
• The dye is applied prior to the threads being
woven to create the final fabric pattern or
design.

28. • Ikat created by dyeing the
warp are the more simple
to make.
• Weft ikat uses resist-dye for
the weft alone. The
variance in colour of the
weft means precisely
delineated patterns are
more difficult to weave.
Some patterns become
transformed by the weaving
process into irregular and
erratic designs
• Double Ikat is where both
warp and weft are resist-
dyed.

29. OTHER USES…..
• Apart from garment it is
used for peticoats, skirts
vests and bags and mobile
covers.. In earlier times they
were also in general use as
lining material, for coats and
jackets, for pillow covers,
umbrellas, borders of
embroideries etc.

30. TRADITIONAL VALUE….
• Mashru as a fabric was created to confirm to the
tenets of Islam which forbade the use of silk
generated out of insect cocoons as wearable
material. So an elegant mix in the annals of historical
weaving was contrived were it was the thread of
cotton which touched the skin while the silk floated
on top. This enabled the ruling Islamic nobility to
flaunt and wear this wondrous garment. Mashru due
to this very feature became a favored item of export
to the gulf and the Ottomen Empire.

31. • In Patan wealthy Hindu merchants and
traders also took a liking to this fabric
thus increasing its intrinsic value and
the inclusion of certain typical motifs.
The colloquil Gujarati term for this
fabric was mishru meaning a blend of
silk and cotton. Even today Mashru is
an important part of the bridal
trousseou of a variety of Hindu
communities.
The Bohras of Sidhpur and Patan also
favor Mashru as a fabric to design their
traditional garments.

32. UTILITY….
• Mashru is not just a luxurious fabric; it also
has a very practical utility. While the silk on
the outer surface has a beautiful, glossy
appearance, the cotton yarns in the back soak
up sweat and keep the wearer cool in the hot
climate of the deserts

33. MASHRU
MAKEOVER….
• With time, the designs
of Mashru have
become simpler. Multi
hued ikats and
patterned stripes are
uncommon now, and
replacing them are
brighter, bold stripes or
small dots, along with
solid coloured fabrics,
white and black colours
are also used now.

34. • In a small locality in Patan, Gujarat, a few
craftsmen weave Mashru yardages, replacing
vegetable dyed silk with chemical dyed
rayon, not because they don’t want to use
silk, but because rayon, being cheaper, has a
better demand. Rayon is smoother and
shinier than silk, although the synthetic dyes
make it weak, unlike natural ones that grow
richer with age.

35. • Efforts are on to revive this ancient craft through
contemporisation of design development and
skill upgradation of artisans involved in the
trade. The National Institute of Fashion
Technology (NIFT), Gandhinagar under a
GSHHDC (Gujarat State Handloom & Handicrafts
Development Corporation Ltd.) project initiated
one such process with local artisans in Patan.
Efforts are also on to get this craft a GI
(geographical indication) tag.

38. • This precious fabric finds customers all
across the country and is also exported; and
like Mashru’s colours cheer up a tired soul,
the popularity of this multi hued textile
among colour loving youth keeps the hope
of revival of this beautiful craft.

39. Mashru fabrics are effectively teamed with
embroidered cotton textiles to create the
festive apparel of the Rabaris of Kachchh.Seen on the
left is a bridal ghagharo,or skirt

40. THANK YOU…..