India, Feb. 18 -- Silk has always been associated with luxury and royalty, but recently, a particular variation-crushed silk-has made its way into the limelight. Silk has its early traces in China, where it was first cultivated over 5,000 years ago. However, the crushing of silk fabric originated in the Indus Valley of South Asia and is similar to the Japanese Shibori technique. The process involves wetting, pleating, and binding fabric with string to create crinkly undulations.

The crinkling effect was initially an unintended result of the fabric's natural wear over time, particularly in regions with high humidity. However, artisans in India and Persia embraced this texture deliberately, using hand-pleating and heat treatments to achiev...