How is Zari Made?

Zari is made by Transforming metals like Gold and Silver into fine threads. Real Zari uses Pure Gold and Silver while Imitation Zari uses Copper coated with Silver or Gold. The process involves several precise stages including drawing, flattening, and wrapping these threads around Silk or Cotton Yarns.

How is Zari Made?

Zari is a luxurious thread used extensively in Indian Textiles. It is created through a detailed process that has been refined over centuries. The creation of Zari involves multiple stages, each contributing to the final product that adorns traditional Indian garments like Sarees and Lehengas.

The Fiber

Pure Zari known as Pasa is made only from Pure Gold and Silver. The process begins with a Silver Bar that is covered with a thin sheet of Gold. This combination is drawn into fine wires of different gauges called Badla. These wires are then wound over a base Yarn made mostly of Pure Silk. Traditionally, this process was done manually by skilled Artisans.

The Yarn

Silk Yarns are used mainly in producing both Pure and Imitation Zari. Artisans procure Pure Silk in 13/15 and 20/22 denier. Two Silk Yarns are twisted together followed by degumming and dyeing as needed.

Manufacture of Real Zari

Making Real Zari involves several stages:

Stage 1: The process starts with dyeing Cotton, Silk, or Art Silk Yarn. Raw Silver is melted and made into Bars. These Bars are hammered into elongated rods.

Stage 2: The Silver rods are drawn into wires of different gauges, ranging from coarse to superfine. An ounce of Silver can be stretched into 3000 yards of Silver wire.

Stage 3: The Silver wire is then Flattened using a machine called Chapad. The flattened Silver is known as Badla.

Stage 4: The flat Silver wire is wrapped around Pure Silk, Art Silk, or Cotton Yarn on a wrapping machine called Bitai Machine. The resulting thread is called Ruperi Zari Thread.

Stage 5: The Real Zari thread is Electroplated with 24-Carat Gold.

Stage 6: The Gold Plated Zari thread is wound onto a Reel, creating the final Zari product.

Manufacture of Imitation Zari (Half Fine Zari)

Imitation Zari or Half Fine Zari uses Copper as the base metal. The process is as follows:

Stage 1: Copper wire rods are drawn into 31 SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) Copper wire. This Copper wire is then further drawn to 36 SWG.

Stage 2: The 36 SWG Copper wire is Electroplated with Silver.

Stage 3: In the Next Stage, The Silver Plated Copper wire is drawn into finer gauges.

Stage 4: The wire is then flattened using a Chapad or Flattening Unit.

Stage 5: In this Stage, The flat Silver Gilded Copper wire is wrapped around Yarn on the Bitai Machine, creating Half Fine Zari Thread.

Stage 6: The Imitation Zari thread is then lacquered or gilded to produce a Half Fine Gold Thread.

Stage 7: The Gilded Imitation Zari thread is wound onto a Reel or hand Charkha for making small skeins of 5gms to 10gms.

Embroidery and Zari Terminology

Zari is also used in embroidery known as Kalabattu. The process involves Melting metal ingots into Bars called Pasa, which are then beaten into lengths and pulled through steel plates to form wires. These wires are then flattened and twisted with Silk or Cotton threads to make Kasab or Kalabattu. This thread is flexible, soft, and evenly made.

Some important terms in Zari work include:

• Gijai: Thin stiff wire used for intricate patterns.
• Sitara: Star-shaped metal pieces used in floral designs.
• Salma Sitara: Embroidery using Sitara and other metallic elements.
• Kalabattu: Braided Gold thread used in borders.
• Tikora: Spirally twisted Gold thread for complex designs.
• Kora: Dull Zari thread.
• Chikna: Shiny Zari thread.