What it is

• Patan Patola is India’s iconic double ikat silk: both warp and weft are resist-tied and dyed to create a pattern that appears identically on both sides when woven—there’s effectively “no reverse side.”
  
• Patan Patola holds Geographical Indication (GI) status in India (Application No. 232, “Patan Patola”; Registered to the Patan Double Ikat Patola Weavers’ group).
  
• Double ikat is extremely rare globally; credible museum/education sources note it is traditionally practiced only in India, Japan and Indonesia (Indonesia’s Tenganan geringsing is the best-documented Indonesian double ikat).
  

Why it’s specific to India

• Patan, Gujarat is the historic and living center for silk double ikat sarees known as Patola; the craft’s technical hallmark is perfect registration of pre-dyed warp & weft to yield crisp geometry on both faces.
  
• The Patan Patola tradition is maintained by specialist weaver families (e.g., the Salvi lineage) and is showcased/interpreted by the Patan Patola Heritage Museum, which documents techniques, patterns and production timelines.
  
• Rajkot/Surendranagar “patola” (Gujarat) is primarily single ikat (one set of yarns pre-dyed), distinguishing it clearly from Patan’s double ikat. (Useful when writing origin specs.)
  

Technique & materials

• Process: tie–dye sequences mapped for each colour on both warp & weft; meticulous alignment during weaving; classic silk bases.
  
• Reversibility: properly executed Patola shows equal colour/design on both sides—a core authentication cue.
  
• Time & labour: museum/industry sources indicate ≈4–6+ months per saree depending on intricacy; some references note teams of multiple weavers for >6-month builds.
  
• Dye route: historically natural dyes (indigo, madder etc.); vegetable dyes have been revived in recent decades alongside the use of synthetics—so specify your dye policy.
  
• Motif vocabulary (helpful for line sheets): Nari-Kunjar, Navratna, Ratan-Chowk, Paan bhat, Chhabdi/Chokhta etc., which buyers often expect to see.
  

Export picture & HS mapping

There is no HS code dedicated to “Patola”; shipments are captured under silk fabrics or under the finished article (sarees, scarves, apparel).

• Silk fabric (yardage / unmade saree lengths): HS 5007 (Woven fabrics of silk or silk waste). India’s 2023 exports of HS Chapter 50 (Silk) were ≈US$116 m, of which HS 5007 was ≈US$76 m (≈65%). Within 5007, HS 5007.20 (≥85% silk) alone shows ≈US$63.6 m exports in 2023. (Patola yardage or “saree lengths” can appear here.)
  
• Finished silk scarves/dupattas/stoles: HS 6214.10 (silk scarves/shawls, non-knit). Use 8-digit Indian lines like 6214.10.10/20/30/90 per size/handloom.
  
• Sarees (India tariff practice): India’s tariff provides a specific line for silk “sarees” under 5007.20.10, treated under silk fabrics in the national (ITC-HS) schedule. (Classification is jurisdictional—confirm with your broker.)
  
• Apparel made-ups (if Patola panels are tailored): classify under the article’s heading in Ch. 61/62 or home in Ch. 63.
  
• Ecosystem: exporters typically route through India’s ISEPC (Silk Export Promotion Council); useful for trade fair access/testing support.
  

Quality profile & buyer-side strengths

• Craft precision: double-ikat registration produces sharply defined geometry with identical faces—a provenance marker that reads premium in global markets.
  
• Durability of design: pattern is in-the-yarn (pre-dyed warp & weft), not a surface print; motifs don’t wash out the way prints can.
  
• Provenance protection: GI-tagged “Patan Patola” supports brand storytelling and helps counter mis-labelling.
  
• Rarity narrative: buyers respond to the “one of three global double-ikat traditions” story (India—Patan Patola—alongside Japan & Indonesia’s Tenganan geringsing).
  

Performance & compliance

• Colorfastness:
  
  • Wash – ISO 105-C06 (set your minimum, e.g., ≥ Grade 3–4).
    
  • Crocking (rubbing) – AATCC 8 / ISO 105-X12 (indicate Dry ≥ 4 / Wet ≥ 3).
    
• Chemicals (if any synthetic dyes/finishes are used): REACH Annex XVII Entry 43 (22 banned aromatic amines from azo dyes, ≤ 30 mg/kg).
  
• Silk & handloom authenticity (for retail trust):
  
  • Silk Mark label (Central Silk Board/SMOI) for 100% pure silk.
    
  • Handloom Mark (Textiles Committee) to certify hand-woven origin.
    

Common risks & how to mitigate

• Shade/lot variation (natural dyes, artisanal process) → lock approved lab dips per base; specify dye route (natural/synthetic) in tech packs; require final soap/neutralization and controlled water profile.
  
• Mis-classification at customs → pre-decide HS by article (5007 for fabric/saree under Indian tariff practice; 6214.10 for silk scarves/stoles; apparel under Ch. 61/62).
  
• Counterfeits / screen-print “ikat look” → specify double-ikat, warp-&-weft resist-dyed construction; request macro photos of yarn alignment & loom-stage images; use Silk Mark/Handloom Mark where applicable.
  

Buyer RFQ/PO checklist

1. Origin: “Patan Patola (GI) — double ikat silk.”
   
2. Article: saree / dupatta (6214.10) / yardage (5007) / tailored article (Ch. 61/62).
   
3. Construction: double ikat; registration tolerance (e.g., mis-register ≤ 0.75 mm across width).
   
4. Base silk: filament/mulberry grade, denier, ends×picks; finish (soft/firm).
   
5. Dye route: natural-dye only or permitted reactive/acid systems; no REACH Annex XVII azo amines.
   
6. Testing minima: ISO 105-C06 ≥ 3–4; AATCC 8 dry ≥ 4/wet ≥ 3.
   
7. Marks: Silk Mark + Handloom Mark labels where allowed.
   
8. Packaging: interleave tissue; roll/flat as agreed; avoid hard folds on motifs.
   

Quick export context

India’s silk exports (HS Ch. 50) totalled ≈US$116 m in 2023; woven silk fabrics (HS 5007) formed ≈US$76 m (≈65%), and 5007.20 (≥85% silk) itself was ≈US$63.6 m—the most relevant proxies for Patola yardage/saree lengths.