086. Salem Silk known as Salem Venpattu

Salem Silk or Salem Venpattu are silk textile products like the white silk dhothies, silk angavastrams (upper cloth) and white silk shirtings. These white silk goods are traditionally used during marriages and other festivals as specialty items. They are produced from time immemorial by the local traditional weaving community in and around Salem, Tamilnadu.

Salem Silk is well known for its White Variety with its lustre. Silk has a triangular shaped cross section whose corners are rounded. Due to the triangular shape (allowing light to hit it at many different angles), silk has a natural shine to it.

Silk used in Salem White Silk goods is produced from cross Breed Silk Worm Cocoons, which are either yellow or dull white in colour. For the warp the silk from these cocoons is bleached, so that the silk yarn will be shining pure white in colour. Two such silk threads will be twisted together for increased strength of the yarn. This again is unique to the Salem White Silk goods

The chief tools used in this Industry are Fly shuttle and Throw Shuttle. Silk Dhothies are woven on fly shuttle looms. The texture in silk fabrics is tight and close as that of Lungies. This type of texture needs a special requisite skill and needs patience to produce fabrics of high picks on Fly shuttle loom.

Throw shuttle is used for producing solid Border design. The most popular designs are Nagachattai,  Kammal, Honey Comb, Wavy type, LIC Design, Wheat, Diamond with Roja, Kodi Border Design, Mavilai Design and Muthu with Gold Pettu.

Raw Materials used in the manufacturing process are Silk thread, Zari and Nimili thread which is also a silk thread dyed with lemon orange colour. The reeds used by weavers are manufactured out of bamboo sticks at Salem. The steel reed are not used because of corrosion.

These silk textile products at the time of manufacturing are white in colour. After washing they will be gradually changed to light sandal colour and thereafter deep yellow colour as it was in the beginning stage of silk yarn before bleaching. If the clothes did not change to the original colour, they are not pure silk.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 28 March 2008

GI Tag Number                         : 94

Certificate Number                  : 59

Geographical Area                  : Tamil Nadu

Special Cover Release Date   : 19 August 2021

Cancellation                             : Salem 636 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : TN/14/2021

The cover has a small replica of Salem Venpattu. 2000 Nos of covers are issued and each cover is numbered.

Enlarged View of Illustration

Enlarged View of Cancellation

Back Side Scan of Cover