Caring for handloom cotton, season after season

Wash the first time alone, in cold water with a little rock salt. Natural dyes release a small amount of colour early on — the salt sets what remains.

After that, a gentle hand wash with mild detergent is enough. Never wring a handloom cotton; press the water out between your palms and dry it in shade, since direct sun flattens the dye over time.

Light rice starch restores the crispness that makes a Chettinad drape sit well. Dilute it thin — heavy starch makes the weave brittle at the folds.

Store folded in cotton or muslin, never plastic, and refold along a different line every few months so permanent creases never set into the border.

Zari borders prefer to be kept inward when folded. A small neem leaf or a dried clove in the fold keeps the fabric fresh through a damp monsoon.