What Ethical Fashion Buyers Should Know About Zari

That golden shimmer on your saree might be gold-plated silver. Or silver-plated copper. Or metallic polyester film. Without knowing which, you can’t know if you paid a fair price, how long it will last, or whether it’s ethical fashion or just clever marketing.

Zari, the metallic thread that makes traditional crafts sparkle, comes in radically different forms. The differences aren’t just aesthetic. They’re chemical, economic, and ethical. Let’s unpack what you’re actually buying.

What Real Zari Actually Is

Traditional zari, locally called  pasa in Surat (the world’s largest zari producer), is made from 98% pure silver wire wrapped around a silk core. This silver thread is then electroplated with real 24-carat gold. The result: threads that are 78% silver, 21% silk, and 1% gold by weight.

This is genuine luxury sustainable fashion. One ounce of silver can be stretched into 3,000 yards of wire, then flattened, wrapped, plated, and brightened through multiple precise stages. 

The process hasn’t fundamentally changed in centuries. Real zari feels soft and pliable. It has a warm, subtle lustre rather than harsh shine. It ages beautifully, developing a gentle patina over decades.

And it costs accordingly. A Banarasi saree woven with authentic real zari can take nine months to complete and represents a genuine investment, often appreciating in value as precious metal prices rise.

The Imitation Alternative: Not Fake, Just Different

When precious metals became expensive during the Industrial Revolution, craftsmen adapted. Imitation zari replaces silver with copper, then electroplates that copper with silver before wrapping it around the core thread. Some versions use as little as 0.5% silver plating instead of 4%.

Copper is the third most malleable and ductile metal after gold and silver, so it works similarly. The technique remains identical. The skill required? Exactly the same. Artisans still draw wire, flatten it, wrap it, and weave it by hand.

The crucial point is that imitation zari isn’t counterfeit. It’s a legitimate alternative that makes handcrafted fashion accessible. The problem isn’t that imitation zari exists. The problem is when it’s sold as real zari at real zari prices.

Imitation zari still requires skilled craftsmanship. It still supports artisan livelihoods. It’s still slow fashion clothing made through traditional techniques. It just uses different materials, and buyers deserve to know which materials they’re getting.

The Synthetic Shift: Metallic Polyester

When even copper became expensive, the industry invented metallic zari: metallised polyester film slit into strips and wrapped around synthetic cores. No metal at all. Just plastic with aluminium coating.

Metallic zari is light, durable, and non-tarnishing. It’s what you’ll find in most affordable fashion. It looks brilliant initially, often shinier than real zari. But it ages differently. Where real zari softens beautifully, metallic zari tends to fade, stiffen fabrics, and eventually lose its lustre entirely.

More importantly, metallic zari shifts production away from traditional craftsmen. The metallising process is industrial. There’s less handwork involved, fewer artisans needed, less connection to heritage techniques.

This doesn’t make metallic zari evil. It’s a practical solution for mass production. But if you’re choosing sustainable clothing specifically to support traditional crafts, metallised polyester probably isn’t what you want.

How to Tell the Difference

Your naked eye can’t reliably distinguish real from imitation zari. Both can look stunning. But there are tests:

The Touch Test: Real zari feels soft and pliable. Imitation tends to be slightly rougher. Metallic zari feels distinctly plastic-like.

The Core Test: Pull a tiny thread from an inside seam. If the core is silk, it’s likely real or quality imitation. If it’s polyester, you’ve got metallic zari.

The Burn Test: This should only be done by experts on unused threads. Real zari smells like burning metal and leaves ash. Synthetic melts like plastic with a chemical odour.

The Rub Test: Gently rub the zari between fingers. If colour rubs off revealing red, green, or plastic underneath, it’s fake.

The most reliable method? Buy from sources that explicitly state their zari type and provide certification. Silk Mark and Handloom Mark tags guarantee authenticity.

Why Slight Variations Matter

Real and quality imitation zari both show subtle imperfections because they’re handmade. The wire thickness varies minutely. The wrapping tension differs slightly. The electroplating isn’t robotically uniform.

Metallic zari, being industrially produced, tends towards perfect uniformity. If every thread looks identical at microscopic level, it’s probably synthetic.

These natural imperfections in handmade zari aren’t flaws. They’re proof of human touch. They show that someone’s hands guided this wire, wrapped this thread, monitored this electroplating. In ethical fashion, imperfection is often a signature of authenticity.

What Should You Actually Pay?

Real zari sarees cost significantly more. Not because of markup, but because of materials. You’re buying precious metals, silk cores, and months of skilled handwork. These become family heirlooms, often increasing in value.

Quality imitation zari reduces cost whilst maintaining craftsmanship. You’re still supporting artisan livelihoods and traditional techniques. The price should be lower than real zari but higher than mass-produced alternatives.

Metallic zari should be the most affordable because it requires less handwork and uses industrial materials. It serves a purpose in making traditional aesthetics accessible, but it shouldn’t be priced like handcrafted fashion.

The deception happens when metallic zari is sold at imitation prices, or imitation sold at real prices. Know what you’re buying, and pay accordingly.

Making Your Choice

Different zari types serve different purposes. Real zari for weddings, major celebrations, pieces you want to last generations. Imitation zari for festive wear that balances craftsmanship with affordability. Metallic zari for casual occasions where you want the aesthetic without the investment.

None of these choices is inherently wrong. What’s wrong is paying for one and receiving another. What’s wrong is assuming all shimmer is equal.

If you’re choosing sustainable clothing to support traditional crafts, aim for real or imitation zari, both of which preserve artisan skills. If you want luxury sustainable fashion that will outlast trends, invest in real zari. If you need affordable access to traditional aesthetics, metallic zari serves that purpose honestly.

The key word is “honestly.” Transparency about materials matters as much as the materials themselves.

We Tell You Exactly What You're Buying

At TuDuGu, we believe  honesty is non-negotiable. Every piece in our handcrafted fashion collection clearly states its zari type. If it’s real zari, we specify the metal content and silk core. If it's an imitation, we explain exactly which metals are used. We never mislead about materials to inflate prices.

We work directly with artisan communities in Surat, Varanasi, and other traditional zari centres. Whether they’re creating real or imitation zari, they’re using centuries-old techniques and deserve fair compensation for their skill.

Our approach to slow fashion clothing means helping you make informed choices. We provide certification, explain processes, and price our pieces according to actual materials and labour involved. 

We carry both real and imitation zari pieces because both have value. Real zari for customers wanting genuine precious metal investment. Imitation zari for those who value traditional craftsmanship at more accessible prices. We label them clearly so you know exactly what you’re choosing.

In ethical fashion, transparency isn’t optional. You deserve to know if your golden shimmer comes from gold-plated silver, silver-plated copper, or metallised polyester. You deserve to understand why one costs more than another. You deserve honest pricing that reflects actual materials and craftsmanship.

We give you that transparency. Because sustainable clothing isn’t just about environmental impact. It’s about honest relationships between makers, materials, and wearers. It’s about knowing exactly what you’re buying and why it costs what it costs.

Choose wisely. We’ll make sure you have the information you need to choose well.