The lightweight cotton fabric,also called dhoti,that is used for the garment is usually white and is often bordered in brightly coloured stripes. It was originally called a paridhana.

    

    Dhoti Fabric is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha. It is a versatile fabric, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

    However, being a cruder form of material, it wrinkles much faster than other preparations of cotton. In order to improve the look,khadi is often starched to have a stiffer shape.