‘Don’t put naphthalene balls…’: Folk singer Malini Awasthi on how she preserved sarees for 40 years

Malini Awasthi, a renowned folk singer, shared her traditional saree preservation techniques after cautioning against certain methods. She advised against using plastic bags or open naphthalene balls for storing sarees. Instead, she suggested wrapping the fabric in a breathable material while leaving a hole at the bottom. Expert Paridhi Dhanuka from Pearl Academy explained that plastic does not allow textiles to breathe, which can lead to mildew, dark spots, and weakened fabric over time.

Naphthalene balls should also be avoided, as they can release harmful fumes and cause discoloration of metallic threads in zari sarees. Dhanuka recommended using muslin bags or clean cotton dupattas for storage, and cleaning and airing sarees before storing them to remove dirt, sweat, and humidity. Proper storage methods include dry and clean sarees, breathable natural fabrics, occasional airing, and pest protection using neem or cloves.