It is one of the most common questions we get about this craft: is Kalamkari handloom? The answer depends on what you mean by handloom, and on which part of the saree you are asking about.

Is Kalamkari handloom? It depends on the cloth

Kalamkari is not a weave at all. It is a way of putting colour on cloth, either by drawing freehand with a pen or by printing with carved wooden blocks, using natural dyes. So when people ask whether Kalamkari is handloom, the honest answer is that the Kalamkari work itself is handmade, but whether the cloth underneath is handloom depends on who made it. The base can be handwoven cotton or silk, or it can be mill-made.

Two different things to ask about

It helps to separate two questions. First: is the design hand-painted or block-printed, or is it screen-printed? Genuine Kalamkari comes from Srikalahasti, where the artisan draws by hand, and from Machilipatnam, where hand-carved blocks are used. Second: is the base fabric handwoven? A saree can have genuine Kalamkari work on a mill-woven cotton, and it is still real Kalamkari. It simply is not a handloom saree. Our full Kalamkari saree guide explains the two schools in more detail.

Four quick signs of the real thing

Look at the reverse: in hand-done work the colour sits within the cloth and the lines are slightly irregular, while a screen print looks flat and sits on the surface. Check the colours: natural dyes give soft, earthy tones such as indigo, madder red, and ochre, rather than bright synthetic shades. Examine the edge of the cloth: a handwoven fabric often has a slightly uneven selvedge. And read the price, because hand-painted work takes many days. Our handloom saree price guide and our guide to real handloom versus fake help you judge.

Why the question is worth asking

If you are asking whether Kalamkari is handloom, you are probably trying to support weavers, or to be sure you are paying a fair price. Both are good reasons. Kalamkari artisans and handloom weavers are separate crafts, often in separate towns, and a saree can honour one without the other. Is Kalamkari handloom? Sometimes, and when it is, the saree carries two skills in one piece: a weaver’s and a painter’s. That is rarer and worth more, which is exactly why it is worth asking the question before you pay.

A practical rule is to treat the two claims separately when you shop. Ask who made the cloth, then ask who made the design. If a seller can answer both, you are dealing with someone who knows the piece. If the answer to either is vague, keep looking.

Quick answers