How khadi is different from handloom
While shopping for clothes, many often get confused about the type of fabric they are looking for. When it comes to khadi and handloom, especially, there is a lot of confusion among most people. In fact, some even use these two terms interchangeably. So, here we decode the main differences between khadi and handloom and some ways you can tell them two apart.
Basic difference between khadi and handloom
In the simplest of terms, khadi is the cloth woven on a handloom using hand-spun yarn. On the other hand, handloom means cloth woven on a handloom using mill-spun yarn. Generally, khadi cloth is much more porous, giving it a soft and well-ventilated feel.
Feel ends of cloth you're buying
One way to differentiate between khadi and handloom fabric is to feel the cloth you're buying. Usually, the ends of a khadi cloth are soft and loose, as compared to its handloom counterpart. Take a part of the cloth and twist it in the direction of the yarn. If the threads tighten, the cloth is khadi; if it comes loose, it is handloom/mill-spun.
Check cloth against source of light
In case you have both fabrics at your disposal, try this method: Take both fabrics and look through them against a source of light. If you spot a slight difference in density and considerable transparency in the surface, it is most likely khadi. But if the density isn't uniform and the cloth is not very transparent either, it means that the cloth is handloom.
Look for KVIC logo, other information
Notably, authentic khadi will have the KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) logo. It will also have batch numbers and information that indicates that it is khadi. Check for these indicators when you go out shopping the next time.
