Chanderi has been called "woven air" for centuries — a fabric so fine and translucent it seems to weigh nothing at all. But not every Chanderi saree is built the same way. Depending on the yarn used in the weft and warp, a Chanderi saree can fall into one of four distinct categories: Katan Silk, Pattu Silk, Sico, and Tissue. Each has its own texture, drape, and ideal occasion, and understanding the difference will help you choose the right saree for the right moment — rather than relying on a seller's description alone.

All four types are handwoven in the historic town of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, on traditional pit looms, using the extra-weft technique that gives Chanderi its signature zari motifs. What changes between them is the yarn.

Katan Silk Chanderi

Katan Silk Chanderi is woven with tightly twisted pure silk in the weft and fine silk (resham) in the warp. Unlike most silks, the yarn used for Katan Chanderi skips the degumming process — the step that removes the natural gum (sericin) coating the silk fibre. Leaving that coating intact is exactly what gives Katan its exceptional lightness and transparency, and it's the reason this fabric earned the "woven air" name in the first place.

The result is a saree with a more structured, slightly crisp drape compared to a silk-cotton blend, and a subtle sheen rather than a high-gloss shine. Katan Silk Chanderi has historically been associated with royal patronage — the Scindia family of Gwalior were known to favour it — and it remains the most classically "Chanderi" of the four types.

Best for: Those who want the most authentic, traditional Chanderi drape and don't mind a slightly more delicate fabric that calls for careful handling.

Shop Katan Silk: Red with gold butti and green chevron border · Royal blue with ornate gold pallu

Pattu Silk Chanderi

Pattu Silk Chanderi is woven entirely in pure mulberry silk, with no cotton blend anywhere in the fabric. It's the most recently developed of the four types and the most luxurious — lustrous, smooth, and closest in feel to a South Indian Kanjeevaram silk, but at a fraction of the weight.

Because the silk is degummed in the standard way (unlike Katan), Pattu Silk Chanderi has a softer hand and a richer, more solid sheen rather than Katan's sheer translucence. It takes gold and silver zari particularly well, which is why Pattu Silk pieces are often chosen for sarees with dense borders, brocaded pallus, or elaborate motif work.

Best for: Occasions that call for the shine and richness of a heavier silk saree, without the actual weight — weddings, receptions, and festive evenings.

Shop Pattu Silk: Deep red with gold kalka butti · Black with silver reed motif border · Magenta with brocaded pallu

Sico Chanderi (Silk-by-Cotton)

Sico — short for "silk by cotton" — is woven with silk in the warp and fine mercerised cotton in the weft. This blend is the most versatile and widely worn of the four Chanderi types: the cotton content makes it easier to drape, cooler to wear through a long day, and more forgiving for everyday styling than a pure silk piece.

Sico sarees typically carry lighter, more work-appropriate motifs — simple zari borders, scattered butis, floral jaal patterns — rather than the dense ornamentation seen on Pattu Silk pieces. It's the type most people picture when they think of a classic, everyday Chanderi saree.

Best for: Office wear, casual festive days, and anyone new to wearing sarees who wants an easier drape to start with.

Tissue Chanderi

Tissue Chanderi weaves metallic gold or silver zari directly into the weft itself, rather than using it only for borders and motifs. The effect is a fabric with a glossy, shimmering surface — genuinely reminiscent of tissue paper catching the light — that shifts and glows as the saree moves.

This is the most overtly festive of the four types, best suited to evening events where you want the fabric itself to catch the light under chandeliers or string lighting, rather than relying solely on a printed or embroidered motif for shine.

Best for: Evening receptions, sangeet functions, and any occasion where dramatic shimmer is the goal.

Shop Tissue Silk: Luminous peacock green-blue tissue saree

How to choose between them

If you want the most traditional, historically authentic Chanderi drape: choose Katan Silk. If you want maximum richness and shine with elaborate zari work: choose Pattu Silk. If you want the most comfortable, easiest-to-wear option for regular use: choose Sico. If you want all-over metallic shimmer for an evening look: choose Tissue.

All four are genuinely handwoven, pure-fibre Chanderi — there's no "better" or "worse" among them, only which drape and finish suits your occasion.

Caring for your Chanderi silk saree

Regardless of type, Chanderi sarees should be dry cleaned only and stored folded in a soft muslin or cotton cloth, away from direct sunlight. Because the fabric is so fine, avoid spraying perfume directly onto the silk or zari, and refold along different lines every few months to prevent permanent creasing.

Every Chanderi saree at Idam Living is handwoven by the weavers' collective in Ashok Nagar, Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. Explore our full Chanderi pure silk saree collection, or read more about what makes Chanderi silk unique.