Disclosure: The author, Sumita Khanna Wahi, identifies herself in this article as the founder of Sautri Banaras, a textile business mentioned in the column. This is a contributed opinion article and should not be read as independent coverage of Sautri.Last night, our dinner table conversation turned to a familiar topic: how shopkeepers are passing on semi silk products as pure silk. This morning our local news portal Dalimss news gave our discussion a number - 5 out of 10 products in the local market are fake. Our family has been in the textile business for 119 years and never has the market been so flooded with fakes. Centuries old reputation of the rich Benarasi craftsmanship is bearing the reputational hit due to the greed of a few. Part of the problem is that deception is not a gimmick of the amateur it has become sophisticated, systematic and increasingly difficult for the consumers to detect.What makes this problem specifically alarming is how widespread the problem has become. It's no more limited to a single seller or a single buyer. Every counterfeit product sold under the name of authenticity weakens the generational trusts weavers and honest businesses earned over years. Every customer who later realised that a fake product has been sold to them have begun to question the credibility of the entire craft. Coming from a legacy business created over generations of hard work it pains me to see the situation a few for their commercial gains have put us and the whole industry into this state of plight.While its difficult to decipher the counterfeit from the real still there are a few markers that consumers can look for while buying Benarasi products. The first and foremost will be an imperfection in the product. Usually people look for absolute perfect products rarely realising that its the imperfection which gives a human touch. Any saree which has been handwoven will somewhere and somehow will have that slight imperfection which will make it stand out from a power loom product. For pure fabrics they will always posses a natural sheen, fluidity and weight which would be far away from that synthetic feel and stiffness. You can also ask for a Silk Mark which is usually a certification for pure silk products. A personal advice from my end would be if the offer seems to good to be true it usually is. One last and most reliable suggestion would be to buy from a reliable establishments legacy businesses who have tirelessly worked with a commitment of preserving the craft.In an era where almost everything can be reproduced, authenticity has become the measure of true luxury. The future of Benarasi craftsmanship can only be protected by our unwavering commitment from the artisans who weave it, to the houses that sell it and the customers who choose it. It gives me immense pride that i come from one such powerhouse that has always worked towards preserving the art and passing it down unbroken to the future generations. We at Sautri work with the same commitment passed on to us by our forefathers.What took centuries to weave should not be unravelled by a decade of shortcuts.About the author-Sumita Khanna Wahi is an entrepreneur and the founder of Sautri Banaras. Passionate about India’s handcrafted textiles, she works closely with artisans to preserve centuries-old weaving traditions while presenting them through a modern, refined lens. Her vision is rooted in authenticity, sustainability, and the enduring value of handmade craftsmanship.

A Varanasi perspective on counterfeit silk, handloom authenticity and why protecting genuine Banarasi sarees matters to weavers and buyers.

Sumita Khanna Wahi

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