Different Types n Designs

In past times, sarees were woven of silk or cotton.
The rich could afford finely woven, diaphanous silk sarees that, according to folklore, could be passed through a finger ring.
The poor wore coarsely woven cotton sarees. All sarees were hand-woven and represented a considerable investment of time or money.

Simple hand-woven villagers' sarees are often decorated with checks or stripes woven into the cloth. Inexpensive sarees were also decorated with block printing using carved wooden blocks and vegetable dyes, or tie-dyeing.

RED wedding Saree is the traditional garment choice for brides in Indian and Bangladeshi culture. Colour options and fabric choices for brides have expanded. Today fabrics like Crepe, Georgette, Charmeuse, and Satin are used, and colours have been expanded to include Gold, Pink, Orange, Maroon, Brown, and Yellow as well. Brides in Western countries often wear the saree at the wedding ceremony and change into traditional Indian wear afterwards (lehenga, choli)

Expensive sarees had elaborate geometric, floral, or figurative ornaments or brocades created on the loom, as part of the fabric. Sometimes warp and weft threads were tie-dyed and then woven, creating ikat patterns. Sometimes threads of different colours were woven into the base fabric in patterns; an ornamented border, an elaborate pallu, and often, small repeated accents in the cloth itself.
For fancy sarees, these patterns could be woven with gold or silver thread, which is called zari work.
Sometimes the sarees were further decorated, after weaving, with various sorts of embroidery.
Silk work is embroidery done with colored silk thread.
Zardozi embroidery uses gold and silver thread, sometimes pearls and precious stones.

Cheap modern versions of zardozi use synthetic metallic thread and imitation stones, such as fake pearls and Swarovski Crystals.

Hand-woven, hand-decorated sarees are naturally much more expensive than the machine imitations.
While the overall market for hand weaving has plummeted (leading too much distress among Indian hand weavers), hand-woven sarees are still popular for weddings and other grand social occasions.