Journal  ·  11 November 2026

What is zarbaft? The gold-woven fabric behind the classic gharara

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Brides searching for a traditional gharara often come across the word zarbaft, and it is easy to confuse with embroidery. It is not embroidery at all. Zarbaft is a fabric, and knowing that changes how you choose a piece made from it.

What zarbaft is

Zarbaft comes from Persian: zar means gold and baft means woven. It is a heavy, lustrous fabric with metallic gold or silver thread woven into the cloth itself, usually over a silk or silk-blend base, so the shine is part of the fabric rather than stitched on top. Traditional zarbaft has bold, dense patterns such as florals, paisleys and trellises that cover the whole surface.

Zarbaft versus zardozi

The names sound alike because they share the same root. Zardozi is hand embroidery: metallic thread is couched onto finished cloth by a karigar, building raised relief. Zarbaft is woven on a loom, so its pattern lies flat and runs evenly across the fabric. Many heirloom pieces combine the two: a zarbaft ground with zardozi worked over the borders. Our guide to hand embroidery explains zardozi and dabka in more detail.

Zarbaft versus jamawar and banarsi

• Jamawar is also woven with a pattern, but the pattern is usually made with coloured threads and only touches of metal. Zarbaft is dominated by metal, so it is shinier and heavier.
• Banarsi is a brocade woven in Banaras, often with metallic zari motifs set against a coloured silk ground. Zarbaft tends to have a denser overall metallic surface.

Why zarbaft suits the gharara

The gharara is fitted from the waist to the knee and then flares from a join at the knee, which we explain in sharara or gharara. A zarbaft gharara puts the shine exactly where it shows best: in the folds of that flare, which catch the light every time the bride moves. Because zarbaft has body, the flare holds its shape instead of collapsing. That is why the zarbaft gharara with a plain or lightly worked shirt and a heavy dupatta is one of the most classic nikah and barat looks.

Other ways to wear it

• Lehanga skirt: a zarbaft lehanga paired with a worked choli gives a rich, traditional barat look without embroidering the whole skirt.
• Dupatta or border: a zarbaft border on a net dupatta adds weight and sparkle to a lighter outfit.
• Mixing with plain fabrics: because zarbaft is busy, it looks best balanced with a quieter piece, such as a raw silk shirt, so the outfit does not compete with itself.

Caring for zarbaft

Metallic weave can tarnish and crease sharply. Store a zarbaft piece rolled or loosely folded in a breathable cotton or muslin cover, away from damp and direct sunlight, and dry-clean only. Avoid spraying perfume directly onto it.

Choosing a zarbaft piece

Real zarbaft feels heavy and slightly stiff, and the metallic thread runs through the back of the fabric as well as the front. Printed or foil imitations look flat and the shine sits only on the surface. Because the fabric is expensive, it is often used where it has most impact, such as the gharara flare or the skirt panels, with the rest of the outfit in a complementary fabric.

See the gharara collection and the nikah edit, or start a custom order and we will show you zarbaft options in the studio or over a video call.