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Handloom Sarees in the USA: Shaili Johri’s Teevra Story
Shaili Johri:
a bridge from India’s looms.
Handloom sarees in the USA without compromising on authenticity — a conservation biologist on why almost a third of her sarees now come from Teevra, and why every one of them has a story.
Finding handloom sarees in the USA that are authentic, beautifully finished, and fairly made is harder than it sounds. For Shaili Johri, a conservation biologist living and working in the United States, Teevra has become the answer — almost a third of her sarees came from us, and she has a story for each of them.
A scientist, and a regular
Shaili Johri is a conservation biologist who brings together genomics, artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and capacity building in understudied regions, in the service of conserving sharks and rays. She lives and works in the USA, a long way from the looms her sarees come from — which is exactly why where she buys them matters to her.
Almost a third of her sarees, each with a story
Teevra has become a special part of Shaili’s wardrobe and of her connection to Indian craftsmanship. By her own count it’s a large part of it.
She describes Teresa and Vrinda as the heart and soul of Teevra, and says you can feel the passion, care, and love they put into everything they do. As she puts it, Teevra curates some of the most beautiful and unique artisanal sarees and clothing, handcrafted by talented artisans and weavers from across India — the kind of range that’s hard to find when you’re shopping for handloom sarees in the USA.
Handloom sarees in the USA: what makes it work
For Shaili, what sets Teevra apart is the service. Many pieces can be made to order, which makes each purchase feel personal rather than off-the-shelf, and the finishing and shipping are handled so that nothing about the process feels difficult from across the world. In her words, it makes it incredibly easy to discover, purchase, and wear authentic Indian craftsmanship in the US.
If you’re thinking about buying from abroad, our guide to buying handloom sarees online covers what to ask before you order.
A model that reaches the weaver
Shaili says she values the impact of how Teevra works. Because there are fewer layers of indirect overhead between the weaver and the buyer, artisans receive better pricing for their work, and more of the value stays with the people who make each piece.
Worn far from home

Her recommendation is simple: Teevra is for anyone looking for authentic, handcrafted, truly special pieces. We’re sharing her story because handloom sarees in the USA shouldn’t mean settling for less, and because she puts it better than we could.
Shaili orders from the USA, and Pushpita from Canada. Different countries, the same experience — authentic handloom, finished properly, and delivered as if from a friend in India.
More Customer Stories: read Anju Mehta, Shalini Pandey and Noopur Mathur.
Have a Teevra customer story of your own?
If you’ve been ordering from us for a while and want to share your own experience — with or without photos — send it over on WhatsApp. We’d love to feature more customers here.



