Lawn vs Butter Silk vs Slub Silk: A Fabric Guide
Shopping for Pakistani women's wear from the US, the fabric name tells you more than the photo does. It decides how a piece feels in the heat, how it drapes, and whether it suits a weekday lunch or an Eid dinner. These are the three fabrics you'll see most often at ZLOOMS, and how to choose between them.
The quick comparison
| Lawn | Slub silk | Butter silk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | Light, soft, breathable cotton | Gently textured, with a soft sheen | Smooth and fluid, with a soft sheen |
| Drape | Light and airy | More body than lawn | Flowing |
| Best for | Everyday and daytime wear | Brunches, work, dinners | Festive, formal and evening wear |
| At ZLOOMS | Co-ord sets and 3-piece suits, from $47 | Printed co-ord sets, $65 | Hand-embroidered kaftan sets, $250 |
Lawn: the warm-weather everyday fabric
Lawn is a fine, lightweight cotton and the backbone of Pakistani summer wardrobes. It breathes, it's easy to wear all day, and it takes prints and embroidery well.
You'll see a few kinds of lawn on our product pages:
- Cambric lawn is a closely woven 100% cotton with a slightly crisper hand. It's used in our Rosé printed co-ord sets.
- Arabian lawn appears in our Mono kurti and shalwar sets.
- Irish lawn, also 100% cotton, is used in our embroidered Spring co-ords.
For something dressier that's still easy to wear in the heat, our Luxe 3-piece suits pair a schiffli-embroidered lawn shirt and a 2.5-metre lawn dupatta with a cambric trouser.
Choose lawn if you want comfortable daywear for warm weather, errands, office days or casual get-togethers.
Slub silk: texture with a little polish
Slub silk is woven from yarn with natural thick-and-thin variations, called slubs. They give the fabric a subtle texture and a soft sheen. It has more body than lawn, so prints look rich and the silhouette holds its shape.
Our Chapter co-ord sets are printed slub silk with hand detailing, and some have crochet lace or tassel trims. They sit nicely between casual and formal.
Choose slub silk if you want one outfit that works for a brunch, a day at work and dinner out, a step up from everyday cotton without going full formal.
Butter silk: soft drape for special occasions
Butter silk gets its name from its smooth, buttery feel. It drapes fluidly, has a soft sheen, and shows off heavy embellishment beautifully.
Our hand-embroidered kaftan sets are made in premium butter silk: soft, lightweight and breathable, finished with handcrafted embroidery, cut work, mirror work on some designs, and handmade 3D tassels. Each set includes a shirt, trouser and dupatta. Try the Black, Teal or Magenta kaftan.
Choose butter silk if you're dressing for Eid, a wedding event, a festive dinner or any evening when you want to make an entrance.
Caring for each fabric
Always follow the care label on your piece first. As a general guide:
- Lawn: wash gently in cool water with similar colours, and iron while slightly damp for a crisp finish.
- Slub silk: hand wash cold or dry clean, and avoid wringing.
- Butter silk and anything embellished (embroidery, mirrors, tassels): dry clean to keep the handwork intact.
Still deciding?
Tell us where you're wearing it and we'll help you pick. Get in touch, we reply within 24 hours.