Shibganj Matka Silk Saree

Matka is silk with its character left in. It is spun from the short, broken mulberry filaments left over when cocoons are reeled, so instead of a mirror shine it has a nubby, grainy hand and a soft, matt glow, and it grows softer the more it is worn. Ours is woven on wooden handlooms in Shibganj, Chapainawabganj, at the western edge of the old Rajshahi silk country, where weaver sheds in villages like Harinagar still clack out handloom silk cloth for the country's craft shops. A plain body with a striped woven paar and anchal keeps it light enough for office days, Friday visits and your first silk. An honest note: most silk sold as "Rajshahi silk" today is woven on power looms from yarn imported from China and India. This one is woven by hand — the slubs and small irregularities are how you can tell.

Fabric

Matka (spun mulberry silk), handloom, 12 haat (≈5.5 m) + blouse piece

Origin

Shibganj, Chapainawabganj

• Dry clean the first time; after that, gentle hand wash in cold water with a mild shampoo
• Never wring — roll in a dry towel to press the water out
• Dry flat or on a line in shade; strong sun fades silk
• Iron on the silk setting from the reverse, with a thin cloth in between