Originally a dress material for both women and men, nowadays it is made in sari lengths in an astounding variety of designed geometrical motifs. Woven on a simple frame or pit looms. The pattern of the design drawn on paper is pinned beneath the warp threads and as the weaving proceeds, the designs are worked in like embroidery. When the weft thread approaches close to where a flower or other figure has to be inserted, the weaver takes up on of a set of bamboo needles round each of which is wrapped yarn of a different colour as needed for the design. As every weft of woof thread passes through the warp. He sews down the intersected portion of the pattern with one or another of the needles as might be required, and so continues till the pattern is completed. When the pattern is continuous and regular, as in the usual sari border, a master-weaver generally dispenses with the aid of paper patterns. Very often, two persons work together on a sari.

Traditionally, jamdanis were white of fine cotton muslin, with designs in bleached white. However, today, very lightly dyed grounds with designs in white, maroon, black, green, gold and silver sari and muga silk of a dark golden colour are also seen. Woven at and near Dacca in Bangladesh, at Tanda and at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.