Tilfi Banaras

What Tilfi Banaras does

Tilfi Banaras is a privately-held luxury handloom brand founded in 2016 and headquartered in Varanasi (Banaras), India. The company designs, produces, and sells authentic Banarasi textiles — sarees, lehengas, dupattas, blouses, suits, and unstitched fabric yardages (TANTRA) — handwoven by master weavers in Varanasi using traditional techniques such as Kadhua, Tanchoi, Shikargah, Jamdani, Kadiyal, Rangkat, Vasket, and Banarasi Bandhej, with authentic gold and silver zari (Zarkashi line). The product portfolio has expanded into adjacent categories including Menswear, Art & Collectibles (metal repoussé craft), and sub-brands such as Tilfi Bridal and Tilfi Icons, reflecting a deliberate diversification beyond core women's occasion wear.

The business operates a fully owned direct-to-consumer model through two physical retail locations (a Varanasi flagship experience center and a recently opened Mumbai store in Ballard Estate, with a Delhi store announced for a heritage space) and a global e-commerce platform at tilfi.com that supports eight currencies with DDP international shipping. Pricing is positioned at the premium end of the Indian handloom segment, with sarees and lehengas ranging from approximately ₹10,000 to over ₹60,000. Distribution is entirely proprietary — no third-party retail or marketplace presence is disclosed. The customer base consists primarily of affluent consumers purchasing for bridal, ceremonial, and festive occasions, alongside heritage craft enthusiasts and fashion-conscious buyers seeking traditional textiles with contemporary styling. The brand is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, operates with 11–50 employees, and is led by co-founder & CEO Aditi Chand alongside founders Ujjwal Khanna and Udit Khanna.

Name

Tilfi Banaras

Legal name

Tilfi

Website

https://tilfi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tilfi Banaras is a Varanasi-based luxury handloom brand founded in 2016, designing and selling authentic Banarasi sarees, lehengas, dupattas, and metal repoussé art directly to affluent consumers in India and globally through owned retail and e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Varanasi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Tilfi generates revenue through direct sales of luxury handloom Banarasi textiles via owned e-commerce platform (tilfi.com) and physical retail stores. Products include sarees, lehengas, dupattas, blouses, and unstitched fabrics (thaan). The brand offers made-to-order pieces with varying delivery times from 1 week to 20 weeks depending on complexity. The pricing ranges from approximately ₹10,000 to over ₹60,000 per product.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tilfi Banaras designs, handweaves, and retails luxury Banarasi textiles, including sarees, lehengas, dupattas, blouses, suits, handwoven fabric yardages, and metal repoussé art collectibles. Production is carried out by master weavers in Varanasi using traditional handlooms, authentic zari, and heritage techniques such as Kadhua, Tanchoi, Shikargah, Jamdani, and Rangkat across silk, cotton, tussar, georgette, and organza fabrics.

Product overview

Tilfi Banaras is a luxury handloom-only clothing brand rooted in Banaras (Varanasi), India, offering handwoven textiles crafted by master weavers using traditional techniques. The core product portfolio centers on Banarasi sarees—the brand's flagship offering—alongside lehengas, dupattas, blouses, suits, and complementary accessories. The collection spans multiple fabric types including Katan silk, Kora organza, georgette, tussar, and cotton. Beyond textiles, Tilfi has developed complementary lines including TANTRA (handwoven fabric yardages for custom tailoring), Art & Collectibles (metal repoussé art pieces), and specialized sub-brands such as Tilfi Icons (signature emblem pieces), Zarkashi (real zari collections), Tilfi Bridal (wedding wear), and Menswear. The brand maintains physical retail presence through its Banaras and Mumbai stores, with plans to expand to Delhi. The December 2025 'Heritage in Motion' experiential showcase demonstrated the brand's commitment to immersive heritage experiences beyond traditional retail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sarees Pure handwoven Banarasi sarees crafted in Varanasi by master weavers on traditional handlooms using silk, cotton, tussar, organza and georgette with authentic zari. Sold to individual consumers through tilfi.com and physical stores.
• Lehengas Pure handloom Banarasi lehengas, including bridal and ceremonial pieces crafted with techniques such as Kadhua, Katan silk, and real zari work. Targeted at brides and ceremonial-occasion consumers.
• Dupattas Pure and handwoven Banarasi dupattas featuring weaves such as Katan silk, Kora, and georgette, sold as individual pieces for styling and occasion wear.
• Blouses Tailored Banarasi saree blouse designs using pure fabrics including Katan silk and georgette, offered as versatile and statement pieces.
• Suits Handwoven Banarasi suit sets that pair traditional handloom craftsmanship with contemporary styling for women.
• TANTRA - Handwoven Fabrics Banarasi fabrics and than (fabric yardages) handwoven in a wide range of hues, motifs, patterns, and weaves, sold to individual consumers for custom tailoring.
• Art & Collectibles Timeless repoussé metal art pieces created using Varanasi's ancient repoussé technique, sold as collectibles representing heritage metal craft traditions.
• Menswear Classic weaves and signature tailoring for men, featuring handwoven Banarasi textiles rendered in contemporary menswear silhouettes such as jackets, shirts, and co-ords.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Tilfi_Banaras
• Facebookfacebook.com/tilfi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tilfi-banaras

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tilfi Banaras