Narrator: To make a Patan patola sari,
each section of each bundle of silk
is meticulously dyed a specific color.
But it's only when the threads are woven together
and the pattern is revealed that artisans will know
if their mathematical precision worked.
Most other saris are embroidered during weaving,
but the intricate designs in Patan patola
are dyed directly onto the silk.
So any mistake artisans make is irreversible,
risking months' worth of work.
When it's complete, which can take over a year,
a Patan patola sari can cost over $8,000.
So, why does it take so long to make a Patan patola sari?
And what makes it so expensive?
In the Indian state of Gujarat,
the Salvi family's company, Patola House,
is one of only a handful of producers
of authentic Patan patola.
Because of the time-intensive process,
Patola House makes an average
of only 15 patola saris a month.
Even among expensive woven textiles,
Patan patola saris are unique.
Whereas most textiles are elaborately embroidered on a loom,
Patan patola uses what's called a double-ikat design.
The weft, or horizontal,
and warp, or vertical, threads
are painstakingly dyed separately.
Only when the weft and warp are woven together
will the final design reveal itself.
The monthslong process begins with high-quality raw silk,
purchased for up to $110 a kilogram.
A single sari requires just under a kilogram of silk.
These threads are as fine as hair,
so the artisans must combine them
to create a stronger thread they can use for weaving.
They clean the silk and bleach it
so it is bright white to best absorb the dye.
Meanwhile, designers like Mehul Salvi
create detailed sketches on graph paper
for the dyers and weavers to follow.
The measurements can be as small as 1/100th of an inch.
It takes Mehul up to 10 days to finish a pattern.
Narrator: The sketch is passed on to artisans
like Limbachiya Priya Ashwin Kumar,
who translates the specifications
to the warp and weft threads.
She does this by marking the different sections
onto the silk with a single string dipped in coal.
Priya says this is the most challenging part of her work.
Narrator: When she's done,
Priya prepares the threads for resist-dyeing.
She tightly wraps cotton string
around certain sections of the silk thread
according to her markings.
Priya covers the parts that shouldn't be dyed,
leaving only the parts that will be dyed exposed.
Multiple layers of tightly wound cotton thread
ensure that liquid cannot get through.
Narrator: Dyeing the threads
is the most time-consuming part of the process,
taking several months to over a year to complete,
depending on the complexity of the design.
The background color, usually red, is dyed first.
The thread must dry completely
before another color can be added.
And Patola House says its saris
typically have at least five colors.
More complex designs can have even more.
Narrator: The dyed sections are wrapped
while the parts that need to be colored next are unraveled,
and the cycle repeats.
Narrator: Once all the colors have been dyed,
it can take a team of five people two days
to detangle the knots and prepare the silk for weaving.
The looms used for Patan patola are unique.
Whereas most looms stand upright
and can be operated by a single person with a foot pedal,
Patan patola requires a slanted hanging loom
and two workers to operate it.
Hanging looms allow more light to pass,
so the weavers can keep a close eye on the design.
To weave just 6 inches,
they must work for 2 ½ hours.
If the tension in the threads is too tight,
the threads will move upwards,
and if it's too loose, they'll move downwards,
compromising the accuracy of the design.
So every 6 inches,
weavers pause to adjust the tension of the threads
using ballpoint needles,
which takes another 2 ½ hours.
Then they spend the same amount of time
ensuring the warp and weft match perfectly
before continuing.
That's almost eight hours of work
for only 6 inches of Patan patola.
A Patan patola sari is typically 5.5 meters long
and a little over a meter wide.
But in this process, the threads can break.
Narrator: The weaving process takes about a month to finish.
A design with a lot of repetition is easier to make
and can be finished in as little as four months.
These designs usually cost slightly over $1,500.
But more complex designs with no repeating patterns
can take a year and a half
and go for over $8,500.
But over the years, Mehul says,
costs of production have increased.
Narrator: Before COVID-19,
Patola House would buy silk for $73 a kilogram,
but now it pays $110.
And the dyes it uses aren't cheap either.
Some cost $24 a kilogram,
while others cost over $120.
And imported dyes, like indigo,
can cost the company over $300 a kilo.
Patola House produces Patan patola
the same way it was done centuries ago,
by hand with no mechanization.
Though there are conflicting origin stories for the fabric,
it's believed to have gained importance in India
between the 11th and 13th centuries.
The Rani ki Vav stepwell,
built in the 11th century in Patan,
depicts traditional Patan patola designs.
These saris were a status symbol,
worn by aristocrats and royalty.
Even today, the high price tag
means they're only worn by those who can afford it.
Patola House has seen demand for its saris
continue to increase
as the fabric is getting more attention.
Once a dying craft,
Patan patola has been featured in Lakmé Fashion Week.
To meet the demand,
Patola House employs more than 250 people.