The kasavu saree guide.

Kasavu strictly refers to the gold border, not the saree. A Kerala saree with a kasavu border is what most people mean when they say kasavu saree. The body is unbleached cotton, off white rather than bright white.

The colour of that off white matters. A true handloom body has a warm, slightly uneven cream tone. A stark optic white usually means heavy bleaching or a powerloom mill finish.

A kasavu saree is a single six yard piece. A set mundu, also called mundum neriyathum, is two pieces: a lower mundu and an upper neriyathu worn over the blouse.

Older women and traditional households often prefer the set mundu, especially for temple visits and Onam. Younger wearers usually choose the single saree because it drapes faster and holds better through a long day.

Look at the border from the reverse. On a handloom piece the zari is woven in and the reverse shows the pattern clearly. A stuck on or printed border shows a flat, glued edge.

Real kasavu uses copper or silver based zari with a gold finish and has a soft, slightly matte glow. Very bright, mirror like gold is usually a synthetic film that will crack after a few wears.

The classic pairings remain the strongest: deep maroon, bottle green, mustard, black and rust. Each of them makes the gold border read louder rather than softer.

Pastel blouses can look washed out beside a cream body in daylight. If you want something soft, choose a rich neutral such as coffee or clay instead of a pale pink.

A kasavu benefits from crisp pleats and a well ironed pallu because there is no pattern to distract from a sloppy drape. Starch lightly if the cotton is very soft.

Keep jewellery in one metal. Temple gold with a kasavu is timeless. Mixing gold jewellery with a silver toned border is the most common mistake.

Wash a cotton kasavu by hand in cold water with a mild detergent, separately, for the first three washes. Never wring it, and dry it in shade.

Keep the zari border away from direct sunlight while drying, and fold it with the border on the inside so the gold does not rub against itself in storage.