Kanchipuram is the silk capital of Tamil Nadu, and the city's other great tradition — after its temples — is the production of Kanchipuram silk saris. The saris are made from pure mulberry silk with broad zari (gold thread) borders, traditionally woven in two or three contrasting colours using a technique where the body and border are interlocked rather than sewn. They are considered among the finest in India and are the standard wedding gift across Tamil Nadu and much of south India.
The weavers' quarters are spread through several neighbourhoods of the town. Walking in, you'll hear handlooms before you see them: the rhythmic clacking of the shuttle carries through the walls. Most workshops are family operations in ground-floor rooms or dedicated sheds; a standard loom takes two people working in synchrony to operate. A complex sari can take several days to complete.
Visiting is easy and the hard sell, by reputation and in practice, is usually modest. Weavers are generally happy to let you watch, and several cooperative showrooms near the temple area offer fixed-price sales without pressure. If you intend to buy, knowing that a genuine Kanchipuram sari in pure silk costs at minimum a few thousand rupees (more for elaborate gold-work) protects against the cheap synthetic versions that circulate everywhere. The Silk Mark certification, issued by the Silk Board of India, identifies genuine articles.
For pure observation, the Weavers' Service Centre near Gandhi Road has a showroom and sometimes demonstration looms. Any auto-rickshaw driver can point you toward the main weaving streets.