Khadi, Cotton, Handloom, Linen—these words evoke pride in craftsmanship and culture, but let's be honest, they can also feel tangled in a messy thread ball of confusion.
The difference is in their distinct characteristics, from the raw materials used to the intricate production processes and their journey through the warp and weft of cultural significance that bring these fabrics to life.
The truth is each holds a story. When we mix these terms, we risk missing their magic—the hands that spin them, the communities they sustain, and the legacy they carry. Let's untangle the threads, shall we?
What is Khadi?
Meaning of Khadi: Khadi, also known as Khaddar, is a handspun and handwoven fabric from India crafted from cotton, wool, silk, or a combination of these fibres. Although its roots can be traced back to ancient times, it gained significant prominence during India's independence movement in the early 20th century.
Materials used in Khadi: Cotton, silk, and wool are the primary materials used in making Khadi. However, polyester is also sometimes used in Khadi fabric.
Types of Khadi fabric:
- When cotton is used, it's called "Khadi cotton fabric."
- When silk is used, it's called "Khadi silk fabric."
- When wool is used, it's called "Khadi wool fabric", but
- When polyester is used, it's called "Poly Vastra".
Different types of hand-spinning:
Raw cotton, wool, and silk materials can be spun using various hand-spinning techniques. Namely,
- Drop spindle spinning
- Gandhi charaka spinning
- Box charaka spinning
- Ambara charaka spinning and
- Solar charaka spinning.
Only when solar charaka is used is the fabric called "Solar Vastra."
What is Handloom?
Meaning of handloom: A handloom is a manual tool used to weave fabric without electricity. The weaving process involves two sets of yarn—the warp and the weft—to produce cloth.
Material used in handloom fabric: Various materials are used to produce handloom fabrics, including cotton, silk, wool, polyester, Tencel, flax, jute, linen, and more. These materials can be used separately or in combination with two or more.
Spinning process behind handloom: Spinning is the process of converting textile fibres and filaments into yarn. For thousands of years, people spun natural fibres into yarn by hand. However, with industrialisation in the late 1800s in India, the fibres were converted into yarn through heavy-duty industrial spinning machines in mills. Some of the spinning techniques used these days are,
- Ring frame spinning
- Rotar spinning
- Compact spinning
- Air-jet spinning
- Open-end spinning
What is the difference between Khadi and Handloom?
- Khadi is a fabric made from yarn that is manually spun or spun using human energy and then woven on a loom without electricity.
- A handloom is a fabric made from yarn that is machine spun or with electricity and then woven on a loom without electricity.
What is the difference between Cotton and Linen?
- Cotton, a soft and fluffy fibre harvested from the cotton plant, has been cultivated and used for over 8,000 years. The term "cotton" originates from the Arabic word "qutn." Today, India and China remain among the largest producers of this versatile fibre globally.
- Linen, a natural fibre extracted from the flax plant, is renowned for its strength and longevity. The word "linen" is derived from the Old English term līnen, meaning "made of flax," and traces further back to the Latin word linum, also signifying "flax." China is the world's leading producer of linen, yet Europe remains the benchmark for high-quality linen production, thanks to its ideal flax-growing climate.
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| The harvested cotton bolls is used in the making of cotton fabric. |
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| The stem of the flax plant is used in making the linen yarn. |
What is the difference between Khadi and Cotton?
- Khadi is the name of the fabric that involves hand-spinning and hand-weaving using materials like cotton, silk, or wool.
- Cotton is a natural fibre material that can be used to make Khadi fabric, handloom fabric, power loom fabric, or mill-made fabric.
Conclusion: Understanding the nuances of Khadi, Handloom, Cotton, and Linen helps us appreciate the labour of love behind every meter of fabric. These materials are not mere textiles but a bridge between tradition and modernity, sustainability and style. By choosing the right fabrics, we champion the handcraftedness, the resilience of local communities, and the timeless beauty of natural materials.
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