Paithani saree took its name from a place called Paithan, where it started producing 2000 years ago. This saree is made of silk with an ornamented zari pallav and border. Traditional vines and flowers, shapes of fruits and stylized forms of birds are used as motifs in this saree. No mechanical means like the jacquard or jala are used to create the designs in Paithani sarees.
Making a saree is a long process; it takes a long time completing a piece. And it also needs lots of hard work and expertise to make this fine fabric. So, price of this painstaking workman ship is always high. Nearly a month's time is spent in completing a piece of simple Paithani saree, and from five to nine months is spent to complete its more elaborate (brocade) version.
Paithani sari, made from silk, is one of the most elegant sarees.