Sarees on display at Silk Mark Expo in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 8: Silk in its different varieties and forms is attracting buyers to the Silk Mark Expo that started on Wednesday at a city-based hotel on Janpath Road.

The exhibition organised by the Union ministry of textiles in association with the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMoI) is an attempt to raise awareness among the customers about genuine silk products.

Abstract block prints, tribal prints and kantha stitches are popular among the customers this year while balcuhari and pochampally are also available.

A wide range of items made from silk like sarees, suits, shoes and bags weaved in different styles and patterns are being displayed at the expo. The apparels and accessories displayed at the 32 stalls by weavers from different parts of the country are all woven in genuine silk.

According to the organisers of the expo, impure silk sold in the market not only deceives the customers but also deprives the weavers and silk-growers from sustaining their unique silk handloom.

“It is very easy to deceive customers when it comes to silk. Not many customers can differentiate between genuine silk and silk mixed with rayon. They pay the price of original silk and take home a fake product,” said the nodal officer of Silk Mark Organisation of India, R. Bhattacharjee.

Among the various types of silks that weavers from different states have showcased at the event are tussar, moga, eri or ahimsa silk, gheecha and murshidabad. Some special varieties like Nokshi kantha fabric from Bengal, Bania silk from Bangalore, chanon from Kashmir are receiving a great response.

“We have brought a special collection of chanon silk here that is very light and has a matte finish. It has become very popular across the country since ari work and needle work on this fabric look exquisite,” said salesperson Abid of JK Emporium, a stall from Kashmir. Many customers, however, were disappointed on not finding stalls from Orissa this year.

“It looks a little strange with no stalls from Orissa participating this year at this event. I really love handloom prints of the state. I had come here hoping to buy some authentic Oriya silk,” said a visitor from Puri Sushmita Panigrahi.

Silk in its different varieties and forms, is attracting residents of the city to the Silk Mark Expo that started on Wednesday at a city-based hotel in Janpath Road.

The exhibition organized by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India through Silk Mark Organization of India (SMOI) is an attempt to raise consciousness among the customers on genuine silk products.

Abstract block prints, tribal prints and kantha stitches are popular among the customers this year while balcuhari and pochampally are also available. A wide range of items made out of silk like sarees, suits, shoes and bags weaved in different styles and patterns are flaunted at the expo. The apparels and accessories displayed at the thirty-two stalls by weavers from different parts of the country, are all weaved in genuine silk

According to the organizers of the expo, impure silk sold in the market not only deceives the customers from purchasing original silk, but also deprives the weavers and silk-growers from sustaining their unique silk handloom.

“It is very easy to deceive customers when it comes to silk. Not many customers can differentiate between genuine silk and silk mixed with rayon. They pay the price of original silk and take home an adulterated product,” said the nodal officer of Silk Mark Organization of India, R. Bhattacharjee.

Among the various types of silks that weavers from different states have showcased at the event are tussar, moga, eri or ahimsa silk, gheecha, murshidabad and so on. Some special varieties like Nokshi kantha fabric from Bengal, Bania silk from Bangalore, chanon from Kashmir are finding a great response.

'We have brought a special collection of chanon silk here that is very light and has a matte finish. It has become very popular across the country since 'ari' work and needle work on this fabric look exquisite,' said salesperson Abid of JK Emporium, a stall from Kashmir.

Many customers however where disappointed on not finding stalls from Orissa this year. “It looks a little strange with no stalls from Orissa participating this year at this event on in Orissa's capital city. I really love the local handloom prints of the state. I had come here hoping to buy some authentic Oriya silk,” said a visitor Sushmita Panigrahi, here all the way from Puri.