If you’ve spent time looking at Banarasi sarees, you’ve likely come across the terms kadwa, cutwork, and Jamdani. All three are weaving techniques used in Varanasi — but they produce very different results, and understanding the difference helps you appreciate what you’re looking at and make a more informed choice.

Kadwa Weaving

Kadwa is a traditional Banarasi technique in which each motif is woven individually into the fabric using a separate shuttle for each colour. Rather than carrying the supplementary weft thread across the entire width of the fabric, the weaver works each motif as a discrete unit.

What this means in practice:

• Motifs are precise and well-defined
• The reverse of the fabric is clean — no loose threads or floats
• The technique is more time-intensive than continuous weft methods
• Kadwa sarees are generally considered higher in craftsmanship value

How to identify it: Turn the saree over. In a kadwa weave, the reverse will show the same motif cleanly, without long floating threads connecting the motifs.

At Neem Tres: Lunafleur, Rubyloom, Glintress, and Indraneel are all woven using the kadwa technique.

Cutwork (Katwa / Katrua)

Cutwork is a technique in which supplementary weft threads are woven across the fabric to create motifs, and then the excess threads between motifs are cut away after weaving. This leaves a clean, sharp-edged pattern on the fabric surface.

What this means in practice:

• Motifs have a sharp, defined edge — slightly three-dimensional in quality
• The reverse of the fabric shows small cut thread ends near the motifs
• The technique allows for more complex, densely patterned designs
• Cutwork sarees are often lighter than kadwa equivalents because the excess thread is removed

How to identify it: Look at the reverse of the saree near the motifs. You will see small, neatly cut thread ends where the supplementary weft has been trimmed.

At Neem Tres: Bloomora is woven using the cutwork technique.

Jamdani

Jamdani is a supplementary weft technique in which additional threads are woven into the base fabric by hand to create patterns — without cutting the threads. The supplementary weft floats on the reverse between motifs, creating a characteristic “floating” thread pattern on the back of the fabric.

Banarasi Jamdani often incorporates zari alongside cotton or silk threads, combining the lightness of the Jamdani technique with the lustre of metallic thread.

What this means in practice:

• Motifs have a slightly softer, more organic quality than kadwa or cutwork
• The reverse shows floating threads between motifs
• Jamdani fabrics tend to be lighter and more breathable, especially in cotton
• The technique has roots in the Dhaka muslin tradition and is associated with fine, delicate textiles

How to identify it: Look at the reverse. You will see threads floating between motifs — not cut, not individually shuttled, but carried across the back of the fabric.

At Neem Tres: Illume and Silver Haze are woven using the Jamdani technique.

Quick Comparison

Which Should You Choose?

• For heirloom quality and clean craftsmanship: kadwa
• For bold, graphic motifs with sharp definition: cutwork
• For a lighter, more breathable saree with a delicate aesthetic: Jamdani

Explore Serein

See the Serein — Banarasi Soft Silk Saree from Neem Tres.