Frequently Asked Questions
About Swadaara & Our Story
Who is behind Swadaara?
Swadaara is an all-women operated enterprise founded by Rekha Basavaraju, a passionate woman entrepreneur hailing from Tiptur, Karnataka. Driven by a deep love for India's textile heritage, Rekha envisions a world where traditional handloom weavers get the recognition they deserve. Swadaara was built to serve as a sustainable digital bridge, taking the pure elegance, heritage, and stories of authentic handloom sarees directly to textile lovers across the globe.
What does "Swadaara" mean?
The name Swadaara beautifully blends "Swa" (Self/Own) and "Daara" (Thread in Kannada). It symbolizes "Our Own Thread"—representing our direct connection to traditional weavers and celebrating the unique thread of identity that every woman drapes around herself when she wears an authentic handloom piece.
Are your sarees really sourced directly from weavers?
Yes, absolutely. We cut out all middlemen, brokers, and mass warehouses. Rekha personally coordinates with master artisans and traditional weaver clusters across various states to bring you genuine handlooms. This ensures that the weavers are paid fairly for their incredible artistry and that you receive uncompromised, consistent quality.
How is Swadaara different from other online saree stores?
Most online platforms operate as commercial resellers or sell mass-produced powerloom lookalikes. Swadaara is deeply committed to slow fashion and absolute transparency. We personally select every piece, photograph them in natural daylight without artificial filters, and describe them honestly. You will never find a powerloom saree disguised as a handloom piece on our platform.
Product & Fabric Specifics
What types of handloom sarees do you offer?
We feature an array of curated handloom weaves, including traditional cottons, heritage checks, and premium artisanal styles. Since we source dynamically from regional weaver clusters, our collections evolve continuously. You can explore the exact weave origins, histories, and textile compositions on each individual product page.
Do the sarees come with an attached blouse piece?
This varies depending on the specific regional weave style. Detailed specifications regarding whether a saree includes a running blouse piece, a contrast blouse piece, or is a standalone drape are listed clearly under the product description of each saree.
What is the standard length of your sarees?
Our standard sarees measure approximately 6.25 meters (which includes the integrated blouse piece where applicable). Exact length metrics are explicitly recorded in individual product write-ups.
Will the color look exactly like what I see on screen?
We capture all our product photographs in natural daylight completely free of artificial studio filters or digital color correction to preserve accuracy. However, screen calibrations, panels, and brightness matrices vary from one phone/computer to another. Handloom fabrics also catch light beautifully and may show subtle tone changes under different lighting conditions. A very slight variation in shade is natural and is part of the charm of authentic textiles.
Do handloom sarees have minor irregularities in the weave?
Yes, and they are beautiful! Genuine handloom fabrics are hand-woven on traditional pit looms or frame looms by human hands. Minor thread pull variations, small uneven steps in the weave grain, or slight texture differences are natural signatures of human hands at work. These are not factory defects; they are the true certification of a handwoven product. A perfectly smooth, completely identical pattern is almost always a machine-made powerloom piece.
How do I wash and care for my handloom saree?
For cotton drapes, we highly recommend washing by hand in cold water with a gentle, mild liquid detergent for the first couple of cleanings. Never squeeze, wring, or leave the fabric crumpled. Dry it in a flat shade away from punishing sunlight. For all premium variants or those displaying rich metallic zari borders, standard dry cleaning is strictly recommended to preserve the metallic fibers.
Orders & Secure Payments
How do I place an order?
Simply navigate our digital catalog, click on the drape you love, and select Add to Cart. Follow the prompts to enter your delivery address and complete your transaction. An automated invoice statement and tracking link will be delivered directly to your registered Email and WhatsApp immediately.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all modern digital payments including UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm), Credit and Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, RuPay), and secure Net Banking profiles. All transaction lines route securely via Razorpay, which is fully PCI-DSS compliant and trusted across India.
Is it safe to make online payments on Swadaara?
Completely. Our website architecture runs behind strict SSL encryption protocols. Swadaara never handles, views, or indexes your sensitive credit card configurations or banking tokens. Razorpay handles the financial validation directly behind a secure browser padlock interface.
Can I cancel or modify my order details after a transaction?
You can request modifications or order cancellations within 12 hours of payment, provided the package has not left our dispatch hubs. Connect with us instantly at support@swadaara.com or our dedicated customer support number to update your file. Once a courier leaves our bays, modifications cannot be authorized.
Shipping & Shipping Timelines
Where do you ship?
We currently provide secure distribution networks across all of India. Global shipping services to international destinations are launching very soon! If you reside outside India and wish to be added to our international launch list, drop us an email or a quick note on WhatsApp.
How long will it take for my order to arrive?
Domestic packages generally reach their destination destinations within 3 to 7 business days following dispatch. We ship out all parcels within 24 to 48 hours of payment validation. Deliveries into core tier-1 metro hubs like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad are frequently fulfilled much faster.
What are your shipping fees?
We offer free domestic shipping across India for all cart values above ₹2,000. For orders below ₹2,000, a minimal standard shipping fee of ₹100 is automatically added during check-out.
Which shipping couriers do you work with?
We work exclusively with leading logistics companies, including Delhivery, Blue Dart, Ecom Express, and DTDC, to ensure your premium sarees are transported with absolute safety.
Returns, Exchanges & Damaged Claims
What is your return policy?
We accept return submissions within 7 days of verified arrival if your saree encounters a major transit injury or differs significantly from your ordered product card. Please share high-resolution photos of the issue along with your mandatory package unboxing video with our care desk within the 7-day milestone.
Can I exchange my saree for a different color or style?
Yes, style exchanges are gladly accepted within 7 days of package delivery, provided the handloom item remains totally unused, unwashed, and packed precisely in its original box with all structural tags intact. Return transport courier charges for standard exchanges are handled by the customer.
What happens if my saree arrives damaged?
We take complete responsibility for transit damages. If your parcel arrives damaged, please notify us within 48 hours of receipt. Share your continuous unboxing video with us, and we will arrange a complimentary replacement or a full credit refund immediately—no questions asked.
Can I return a saree if I simply change my mind after looking at it?
We understand that choices can change. However, because our handwoven pieces are unique art forms sourced directly from individual weavers and maintained in highly limited quantities, we cannot offer returns for a simple change of mind. If you feel hesitant about a texture or a tone, connect with our team via WhatsApp before purchasing! We will gladly shoot custom close-up videos and real-time photos to help you buy with complete confidence.
Personalized Shopping & Support
I am buying a handloom saree online for the first time and feel anxious. Can you help?
We completely understand! Buying pure textiles online can feel daunting. We invite you to drop us a line on WhatsApp before purchasing. Let us know which weave caught your eye, and we will happily share detailed close-up texture videos, fabric drape illustrations, and honest styling advice to guide you forward comfortably.
Do you offer personalized video shopping appointments?
Yes, we do! If you want to check the drape weight, border luster, or see how a saree catches the light before hitting buy, you can book a personalized WhatsApp Video Shopping session. Message our team directly or configure an appointment via our Contact page.
How can I reach Swadaara customer care?
| WhatsApp: | +91-XXXXXXXXXX |
| Email Support: | support@swadaara.com |
| Instagram Portal: | @swadaara.handlooms [or your handle] |
Our dedicated team coordinates directly out of Karnataka and responds to all inquiries within 4 hours during standard business days (Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST).
