Muslin: A Timeless Cloth Being Revived Today

Having its origins in Dhaka, Bangladesh, muslin is a simple yet sophisticated material, having myriad uses. The material was first discovered by European traders in the city of Mosul, Iraq, hence the name muslin.

This cloth is made on the rapier loom machine and is one of the more beautiful cloths that this machine makes.

The muslin is ethereally beautiful and has some monikers which describe it fully, such as “Skin of the moon” and “woven air”. The famous muslin variety, the Dhakai muslin is a material that was worn by the Mughal emperors and European royalty. This rare muslin is being recreated at present by a team of researchers.

India’s Special Relationship With Muslin

Muslin is connected with the freedom struggle of India. When the British took over the country, they prevented muslin weavers from continuing with their trade. Instead, they sold muslin imported from Scotland and England. Muslin weavers were ill-treated and forced to weave other fabrics.

Hence, the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi decided to start spinning yarn himself. He spun khadi which is a type of muslin to promote a peaceful struggle against the British.

Hence, muslin is a cloth of national importance in India.

Why is Muslin so Popular?

Muslin is popular because of the lightweight and airy feeling that the entire cloth gives. Muslin can be fine and it can be of coarse material. There are different categories of muslin cloth that find application in a wide variety of places.

The material is the simplest of weaves. It is made of the plain weave technique which is when a single weft alternates over and over a single warp thread.

Muslin cloth was owned by European royalty, most famously by Marie Antoinette, the infamous French Queen. Moreover, Jane Austen, the English writer also owned a muslin shawl that she embroidered herself.

These are some of the examples of the fame and popularity of muslin in ancient times.

Present-day Uses of Muslin

Muslin is used in cheese-making, as gauze in surgeries, in home décor, cleaning, as clothing, etc.

There are different types of muslin, which are graded according to their fineness. High-quality muslin is made from yarn that is fine while low-quality muslin is made from uneven yarn.

Muslin is also used for making clothes. You may remember the famous tribute paid to mul mul (muslin) in the 1949 Bollywood song “Hawa mein udta jaye mera laal dupatta Mulmul ka.” It’s an ethereal material, beautiful, rare, and expensive.

Conclusion

Muslin cloth is famously made from a rapier loom machine. If you are looking to buy a rapier loom machine, you can choose to get in touch with us and Golden Elegance.

Buy a rapier machine, and get started setting up your business in creating this rare and beautiful cloth.