Tanchoi sarees originated from a weaving technique brought to India from China by three brothers with the last name Choi. The technique, known as Tanchoi, involves complex weaving with one or two warp and two to five weft threads in the same shed to create dense patterns without floats on the reverse. Tanchoi sarees from Varanasi and Surat feature traditional Mughal and floral motifs woven in vibrant silk and zari. The sarees can take over a month to produce and are considered high quality wedding attire.

1. HISTORY OF FASHION DESIGN

2. TOPIC: BANARASI BROCADE
 TANCHOI SAREES

3. LOCATION OF BANARAS{NOW VARANASI} ON
A MAP OF
INDIA

4. HISRORY OF BANARASI SAREES
 The earliest mention of the brocade and Zari
textiles of Banaras is found in the 19th
century.
 The silk weavers migrated 2 banaras during
the famine of 1603.
 silk brocade weaving started in Banaras in
the seventeenth century and developed in
excellence during the 18th and 19th century

5.  During the Mughal period
around 14th century,
 weaving of brocades with
intricate designs using
gold and silver threads
became the specialty of
Banaras.
The handloom silk industry
of the region around Varanasi
encompassing Gorakhpur,
Chandauli, Bhadohi, Jaunpur
and Azamgarh districts.

6. INTRODUCTION 2 BANARASE SAREE
 Banarasi saris are saris made in Varanasi, a
city which is also called "Benares."
 These saris are historically considered to be
among the finest saris in India and are
known for their gold and silver brocade, fine
silk and opulent embroidery, and being highly
sought after.

7.  Their special characteristics are Mughal
inspired designs such as intricate
intertwining floral and foliate motifs, kalga
and bel, a string of upright leaves called
jhallar at the outer, edge of border is a
characteristic of these sarees.

8.  distinctive features are Heavy gold work,
Compact weaving, figures with small details,
metallic visual effects, pallus, jal (a net like
pattern), and mina work.
 a sari can take anywhere from 15 days to a
one month and sometimes up to six months
to complete.

9. VARIETIES
 There are four main varieties of Banarasi
sari, which includes pure silk (Katan),
Organza (Kora) with Zari and silk;
Georgette, and Shattir, and according to
design process, they are divided into
categories like, Jangla, Tanchoi, Vaskat,
Cutwork, Tissue and Butidar.

10. BROCADES
 Brocade refer to those textiles where in
patterns are created in weaving by
transfixing or thrusting the pattern-thread
between the warp.
 several sets of heddles raise and depress
irregular number of threads{weft yarns} in
turn, as required by the exigencies of the
pattern.

11. MOTIFS

12. TANCHOI SAREES
 Tanchoi is an elaborate and comprehensive
weaving technique practiced in parts of
Northern India to create beautiful Tanchoi
textiles. Originally, this art instigated in China
and was brought to India by three brothers
with the last name ‘choi.’

13.  The technique therefore came to be known
as ‘Tanchoi’, which literally means ‘three
chois’ (tan – three, Choi – brothers).
 They introduced the art to the Indian weavers
in Surat (Gujarat) and later the Varanasi
weavers started making less expensive
versions.

14.  Since then the amalgamation of Chinese
technique with Indian style of weaving was
created to form the Indianised version of
Tanchoi sarees.

15.  The tanchoi weavers initially wove yard age
and sarees, which were mostly used by the
Parsi community. But today, Tanchoi has
remarkably gained popularity throughout
India.

16. WEAVING TECHNIQUE:
 Tanchoi textiles are fabricated in vibrant
colours and the weaving technique employs
several silk yarns.
 Like Brocades, Tanchois are also constructed
using an extra set of colorful weft silk yarn
covering the satin ground thus creating
unusually distinctive patterns.

18.  Tanchoi weaving is one of the technical and
complex weaving techniques as it involves
one or two warp and two to five weft colours
often in the same shed.
 A densely patterned, heavy fabric is thus
created without any floats on the reverse.
 the ‘unused’ threads are woven into the
‘foundation’ at the back.

19.  As per the tradition of creating these sarees,
the weavers create the face of the fabric with
a satin weave ground (warp threads) with
small patterns made by the weft threads
repeated over the entire surface.

20. DESIGNS INCORPORATED:
 In Tanchoi sarees the designs are always
floral with interspersing of birds.
 Figures of flying birds, paired cocks amidst
floral sprays are worked all over the body
surrounded by flowers and baskets
containing flowers.
 Sometimes the pallu is done more solidly
with peacocks, baskets or bunches of flowers
or hunting scenes.

21.  Tanchoi silk sarees are
also ornamented in
dazzling floral geometrical
and paisley designs.
 Most of the times the
designs are of Chinese
origin but weavers also
integrate Indian motifs
to create unique pieces
of art.

22. COLORS

23.  The saree ground is usually bright
coloured in blue, purple, green or red with
areas patterned in tabby weave. The
weavers also use tone-on-tone colors as
well as multiple color combinations in
jacquard weaving.

24. TANCHOI SAREES FROM THE STATE OF GUJARAT,
SURAT:
 Tanchoi from Gujarat creates an extra weft
layer to produce the effect of embossing on
silk.
 There are also combinations of brocaded
gold butis and borders in a background of
self patterned Tanchoi.
 Some Tanchoi sarees have a rich gold border
and two gold bands on the pallu.

25.  The more exclusive ones have
gold checks with lotus roundels
all over which are known as butis.
 Figures of birds, trees
and flowers are
commonly used in
these sarees.
 Sometimes, the pallu is richly
decorated with large figures
of peacocks, flower baskets
and hunting scenes.

26. TANCHOI FROM UTTAR PRADESH,VARANASI:
 Like the banarasi sarees, Tanchoi sarees are
also produced by Varanasi weavers but are
not constructed as heavy like Banarasi
sarees.
 They are meant to suit and be worn on all
types of occasions.
 In Varanasi, Tanchoi is produced in zari
decorated all over using different motifs and
designs and not just Moghul motifs.

28.  Another interpretation of the term here is
‘tan-chhai’, meaning evoking a pattern which
covers the field or the body.

29. MAKING OF FABRIC
 Most of silk comes from bangalore.
 In weaving the warp, they create the base,
which runs into 24 to 26 meters. There are
around 5600 thread wires with 45-inch width.
 Traditional designs remain the base appeal for
Varanasi saris.
 Once the design in selected then small punch
cards are created. These serve as guides for
which color thread has to pass through which
cards and at what stage.

31.  The prepared perforated cards are knitted
with different threads and colors on the loom.
Then, according to the design, they are
paddled in a systematic manner so that the
main weaving picks up the right colors and
pattern.

33.  Tanchoi saree is weaved in a figured silk and
is technically related to complex weaves
because it has one or two warp and two to
five weft colours often in the same shed.
 A densely patterned, heavy fabric is created
without any floats on the reverse.
 The `unused` threads are woven into the
`foundation` at the back

35.  As per the tradition of creating these sarees,
the weavers create the face of the fabric with
a satin weave ground (warp threads) with
small patterns made by the weft threads
repeated over the entire surface.
 Tanchoi textiles are traditionally amru
brocades that originated in China, Banaras
took over the market in the 1940s and 1950s,
and began to incorporate zari

37.  Tanchoi sarees are now found in vibrant
colours and the weaving technique employs
several silk yarns.
 This particular Tanchoi sarees that are used
as wedding sarees, are generally heavy silks
that are also worn in other festivals and
occasions

38.  Reference
http://varanasi.nic.in/culture/saree.html
 Fibre2fashion.com
 Wikipedia
 History of sarees{reference books}