Fabrics and care · 8 October 2026 · 3 min read
What is banarsi fabric? Brocade and jacquard
What is banarsi fabric? A brocade with metallic patterning named after Banaras, its weaving centre. Where brocade and jacquard fit, and how to wear it.
InspirationBanarsi is a brocade named after a city
Banarsi, also spelt banarasi, is a brocade: a fabric with a raised pattern woven into it, traditionally silk with motifs in gold or silver metallic thread. It takes its name from Banaras, the old name of Varanasi in northern India, which has been a centre of this kind of weaving for centuries. In shops today the word is used for any brocade in that style, wherever it was woven and whatever it is made of.
What makes it recognisable
The metallic thread is called zari. Historically it was real silver, sometimes gilded, wound around a silk core. Present-day zari is usually a metallised synthetic yarn, which is lighter and costs far less. In the same way, the ground of much banarsi sold for suits is polyester or a blend. Pure silk banarsi is still woven, and its label says so.
- Metallic motifs: small repeated buti motifs, flowers, leaves or paisleys, scattered over the ground or packed into a dense pattern.
- Borders: many pieces have a woven border along the edge, which is why banarsi dupattas are so popular.
- A silk-like ground: smooth and lustrous, in a strong colour that sets off the metal.
- A busy reverse: the pattern threads float across the back between motifs, or are trimmed away, leaving short cut ends.
Brocade, jacquard and banarsi: how they fit together
These three words describe different levels of the same thing. Every banarsi is a brocade, and almost every brocade made today is woven on a jacquard loom, but plenty of jacquards are not brocades. A jacquard lawn with a tone-on-tone leaf pattern is a jacquard and nothing more. Jamawar, with its all-over multicoloured paisleys, is a close relative with a different history.
- Jacquard is the mechanism. A jacquard loom controls threads individually, so it can weave any pattern. The word is also used for any fabric patterned this way. Our jacquard guide explains the loom and how such fabrics are cut.
- Brocade is a kind of jacquard fabric. Its pattern is made with extra threads, often metallic, added on top of the basic weave, so the motifs stand slightly proud, a little like embroidery.
- Banarsi is a regional style of brocade, with its own motifs, borders and use of zari.
Wearing banarsi
Banarsi is rich, so it is usually balanced with something plain. It is firm, fairly stiff and does not breathe much, which makes it a fabric for evenings and cooler rooms. The metallic thread can scratch, especially at the neckline and inside the sleeves, so a soft lining makes a real difference; our article on embroidery, lining and scratch deals with the same problem.
- Dupatta: a banarsi dupatta over a plain suit is the easiest way to wear it.
- Trousers: banarsi trousers under a plain long kameez.
- Kameez or jacket: in a simple straight cut that lets the pattern show.
- Panels and borders: a yoke, cuffs or a hem band on a plain outfit.
Cutting and care
If you are sending banarsi for Stitching Only, photograph both sides and the border, and say which pieces you want the border on. We confirm the fabric is suitable and how much the design needs before you post it. Send your details here.
- Direction: motifs often point one way, so pieces are cut the same way up and centred.
- Fraying: the cut edges shed threads quickly and need secure finishing.
- Pressing: on the reverse, at a low heat, through a cloth. High heat can dull or melt metallic yarn.
- Cleaning: usually dry clean only. Water can mark silk and tarnish real metal thread.
- Storing: keep it dry, away from perfume, and refold it now and then so creases do not set along the metal. Our storage guide goes into detail.
Common questions
Is banarsi the same as jacquard?
Banarsi is one kind of jacquard fabric. Jacquard means any cloth with a pattern woven in on a jacquard loom; banarsi is a brocade in the Banaras style, usually with metallic motifs and borders.
What is the difference between brocade and jacquard?
Jacquard is the weaving method and the general name. Brocade is a jacquard fabric whose pattern is formed by extra threads laid over the ground weave, giving raised, often metallic motifs.
Is banarsi fabric always silk?
No. Traditional banarsi is silk with metal thread, but much of what is sold for suits is polyester or a blend with synthetic metallic yarn. The composition on the label tells you which.
