Zari is metallic thread – historically real silver or gold, now usually a coated polyester core. It is what gives a Banarasi its shine, and it is also the most fragile part of the garment. Almost every ruined saree we hear about was ruined at home, not in transit.
Washing
Do not. Anything with zari or substantial embroidery should be dry-cleaned, and it should be dry-cleaned by someone who has been told there is metallic thread in it.
If a garment is genuinely only lightly worked and the label permits hand washing: cold water, no detergent stronger than a mild liquid, no soaking, no wringing. Press the water out between towels and dry flat in shade. Direct sun will fade the ground fabric and dull the zari in a single afternoon.
Storage – where most of the damage happens
- Do not hang a heavy saree. The weight pulls on the fabric at the hanger and, over a year, distorts it. Fold it.
- Refold every few months. Zari cracks along a permanent crease. Changing where the folds fall spreads the wear.
- Use cotton, not plastic. Wrap the saree in an old cotton sheet or a muslin bag. Plastic traps moisture and the metallic thread tarnishes.
- Keep silver zari away from air. Genuine silver-based zari tarnishes exactly like jewellery. Wrapped in cotton, in a closed drawer, is enough.
- No mothballs against the fabric. They mark. Neem leaves or cloves in a cloth pouch, kept separate from the garment, do the same job.
Ironing
Iron on the reverse, on the lowest setting that does anything, with a cotton cloth between the iron and the garment. Never iron directly onto zari or sequins – the plate will melt the coating and it goes from gold to grey permanently. Steam is safer than a hot dry plate.
If a thread pulls
Do not cut it and do not pull it through. Use a fine needle to push the loop back to the reverse of the fabric and leave it there. Cutting a zari thread unravels the run.
Perfume, deodorant and jewellery
Alcohol in perfume tarnishes metallic thread and stains silk. Spray, wait for it to dry completely, then dress. Deodorant is the usual culprit behind the marks under the arms of a blouse. And be aware that a rough stone in a ring or bangle will snag embroidery – most snagged pallus are the wearer’s own jewellery.
The realistic expectation
A well-kept silk saree with zari work lasts decades, and many are handed down. A badly-kept one is dulled within two seasons. The difference is almost entirely about storage, not about how often it is worn.