The Achinova Journal

Guides to Indian fabrics, sarees & style

Plain-English guides to silk, georgette, chiffon, cotton, weaves and prints - plus care and styling tips for sarees, kurtis and co-ord sets.

Style & Care

How to Judge Fabric Quality When You Shop for Clothes Online

Practical checks before and after ordering - from reading fabric names to spotting loose stitching and colour bleed.

Style & Care

Choose the right fabric, check the fit and style kurtis and co-ord sets for work, festivals and everyday.

Style & Care

Washing, drying, ironing and storing tips for every saree fabric so they last for years.

Fabric Guides

A plain-English glossary of the weaves, prints and embellishments you will see in Indian clothing.

Fabric Guides

What tussar silk is, where it comes from, why it looks the way it does, and how to style and care for it.

Fabric Guides

From Varanasi to Kanchipuram, Surat to Sambalpur - a quick guide to where India's best-known cloth comes from.

Fabric Guides

How genuine Patan patola is made, how to recognise it, and what a patola-print saree really is.

Fabric Guides

A practical guide to the main kinds of cotton and which one to pick for summer, monsoon and festive wear.

Fabric Guides

Both are light and flowing, but they feel and drape differently. A simple side-by-side comparison.

Fabric Guides

What makes a Banarasi saree special, how brocade and zari work, and how to tell handloom from Banarasi-style.