Love The Kerala Kasavu Saree? Here's Where To Get It

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Kasavu saree is the quintessential attire worn by the ladies in Kerala when it's Onam. Also known as Kerala saree or even Onam saree, the iconic white and gold saree gets its name from the zari or gold thread (there are some shops in Kerala that sell these sarees with actual gold thread) used on the border. The Kerala saree is also recognised by the Government of India with GI tags given to the kasavu sarees produced in Balaramapuram, Chendamangalam and Kuthampully.

We chatted with some lovely ladies from God's Own Country -- Tarini Kumar, Fiona Arakal, Jayalakshmi Ranjith, Srilaxmi Menon, Saina Jayapal, and Shalini Raman -- and the first thing they had to say was that they never really bought a kasavu saree. They just took their mum's, grandmother's or even, in some cases, their mother-in-law's. These sarees are heirlooms, to begin with, and everyone has a preferred place to pick up their Kerala sarees. And lucky for you, these ladies were willing to drop the deets on where they'd buy it from if they had to. 

Kasavukada

Kasavukada

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For Tarini Kumar and Fiona Arakal, this decades-old store is the go-to for getting a kasavu saree. Fiona, who's the co-founder of Ishka Farms, has been buying from Kasavukada for the last 30 years because that's where her mom used to shop. In fact, Fiona's daughter bought her first kasavu mundu from here this year. Tarini, founder of Wine In Progress, tells us how, since the time she can remember, she's sat with her mum, aunts, and cousins and browsed through the collection here. The brand's known for its wide range of sarees and dress materials. Tarini even got her wedding saree from here. 

Southloom

Southloom

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For marketing professional Srilaxmi Menon, Southloom is one online brand that she vouches for getting Kerala sarees online. She loves how authentic and traditional the sarees from this brand look. She got herself the classic kasavu saree and found them comfortable to wear and carry. A saree for all occasions, she tells us. 

Kuthampully

Kuthampully

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Kuthampully is a weavers' village in Thrissur, Kerala and the sarees produced by the weavers are GI tagged and known for their distinguished borders. Thrissur-resident and communications professional, Jayalakshmi Ranjith, only buy from their outlets in Kerala because of the top-notch quality of the handloom. The reason why she buys from these outlets is that the profits go directly to the weavers. She has bought set sarees, set mundus, and handloom cotton sarees from them. She recommends that you visit the village when you get a chance. If you can't head to the village, you can always buy it online as well on their website.

Co-optex

Co-Optex

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For PR professional Saina Jayapal, Co-optex in her home town of Kozhikode is where she gets her kasavu saree from. She's an old school that way and although she's not bought one in recent times (if you haven't gotten the gist yet, Malayalis don't buy kasavu saree. It's always there at home!), she recommends picking them up. Lucky for you, you don't have to visit Kozhikode (although you must), since Co-optex is online and you can pick up sarees from them. 

Pranaah

Pranaah

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Another brand that Srilaxmi recommends for Onam saree. While she's not flicking her mom's or grandmom's cupboard for one, she's browsing through the collection that Pranaah, which is released every Onam. She recommends them because they have such unique designs while still maintaining the traditional look and feel of a kasavu. She got herself a half-saree from them and still gets great compliments every time she dons it. 

Binks

Design and communications wiz, Shalini Raman raids her aunt's (who's a Malayali) wardrobe for her Onam sarees. We have no complaints since that is the norm with most folks mentioned above. However, she let us know about Binks and their limited-edition Kasavu Kit. So did home chef Sreedevi Mohan. Sreedevi recommended it to us along with the fact that she buys from Karalkada, an offline store in Kerala. For ladies still learning the fine art of saree draping, you are in luck, as Binks is a clip-on version of the classic kasavu saree that you can drape in under a minute. It also comes with a tailor-made blouse based on your measurements. Apart from this, you also get jasmine flowers, safety pins (VERY IMPORTANT), chandan, bindi, earrings, and a scrunchie. 

Vayaka

While this isn’t a recommendation from anyone, we spotted Bangalore-based Vayaka is doing a limited edition Onam Saree Collection. They’ve reimagined the classic for 2025 with the collection featuring mul cotton handwoven sarees and Kota silk sarees. The collections feature delicate hand embroidery that’s been done in Farukkabad, Uttar Pradesh, a region celebrated for its rich legacy of zardozi and gota work. 

Special Mentions

You can also pick up kasavu sarees from these brands that have both an online and offline presence.

Kalyan Silks: Their range of Kerala sarees starts at INR 1,200

Pulimoottil: Their range starts around INR 1,200

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An Instagram-addict who’s also an aspiring chef, a foodie, and a comic book geek who binge watches The Simpsons every week.