Sarees & heirloom
Silk gone brittle along the folds, zari dulled, a faint musty smell, and a family that wants to wear it at the next wedding.
The piece
Pure silk with real zari, folded on the same lines for three decades in a steel cupboard. Weak along the creases, tarnished at the border, a stored-in-plastic smell. Irreplaceable, and about to be worn.
What we did
01The crease lines, the weak points and the tarnish are recorded before the saree is moved again. A declared value is agreed with the family.
02A corner of the pallu inside the fall is tested for dye stability and for how the zari responds before any cleaning.
03Hand-wash or a controlled solvent chosen from the test, worked in sections so the weak creases are never stressed wet.
04The tarnish is lifted from the metal thread as far as it safely lifts; the silk is steamed, never pressed hot on the border.
05Folded along fresh lines with acid-free tissue in every fold, in a cotton bag, with a note to refold it every few months.
The result
Wearable again in three to five days, the zari brighter, the smell gone, and folded so the old creases can rest. Old brittleness is managed, not reversed, and we say so.
Silk folded on the same lines for decades weakens along the creases; the fibre breaks where it has been bent, and the first wear after a long storage is when it tears. Zari — real metal thread — tarnishes with moisture and the acids in air and sweat. Plastic covers add a musty smell and, in Surat’s humidity, mildew. None of this is dirt; all of it is time.
Tarnish on zari can be lifted; broken zari cannot be re-woven. Brittleness along a crease can be relieved by cleaning and refolding on new lines; it cannot be made new. We test a hidden corner first, clean by section so wet silk is never stressed along a weak line, and finish with steam rather than a hot iron on the border. Before return you are told exactly what was and was not possible.
Refold along different lines every few months, keep acid-free tissue in every fold, use a breathable cotton bag, and keep it out of plastic and sunlight. Wear it once a year if you can; silk that moves lasts longer than silk that waits. We can store it at the atelier between occasions.
Gallery
Questions
Usually, by hand and by section after a test on a hidden corner. Brittle creases are handled dry as far as possible and never stressed wet. We tell you before starting what the test shows and what can and cannot be improved.
Tarnish can be lifted from real metal thread as far as it safely lifts, which is usually a clear improvement. Broken or worn zari cannot be re-woven.
Silk saree dry clean from ₹599 including GST. Heavy zari, vintage and restoration work is quoted after inspection.
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A photo on WhatsApp is enough. We reply with what we would do, how long it takes and what it costs.