Kancheepuram silks saris, the millennium-old traditional sector is getting a devastating blow from unauthentic ones.
Majority of the silk saris sold at the Silk Capital Kancheepuram is said to be fake, look-alikes out-sourced from Salem, Nangavalli (Salem district).
Recently, Handlooms Minister, N K K P Raja, conducted surprise raids at 18 shops and picked up some saris for testing.
Declarations are being made via loudspeakers and handbills are also being distributed along with morning newspapers about fake silk saris.
Increased cost of inputs and plummeting profits has fuelled the fake market and silk saris of several regions are being sold as Kancheepuram silks for the same price.
Only 25 showrooms out of over 500 in Kancheepuram, including some cooperatives, have obtained the 'Silk Mark' tag issued by the Silk Mark Organization of India and in the State, only 144 have obtained the same.
The Silk Mark will not serve the purpose as it only authorizes any pure silk and not Kancheepuram specifically.
Kancheepuram silk fabrics have a distinct weave (the weft and warp are twisted separately).
Pure silver and gold zari from 52.5 to 57 percent and 0.60 percent respectively are used. Separate colour yarns are woven for the body and border portion.
A 5.5-meter Kancheepuram sari weighs 450 to 500 grams with longer-life and unusually wrinkle-free qualities.
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