New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- My mother recently threatened to upcycle my dupattas: "These can be curtains, these pillowcases and razai (blanket) covers." My response, as always, was a vehement "no".

I have more than 100 dupattas, collected over the past 15 years. While I wore them regularly in my early 20s, nowadays the only time they see the light of day is during Diwali or a wedding. They no longer feel like a seamless fit in my daily wardrobe. Many friends feel the same: "It's too cumbersome to wear unless there's an occasion."

Nandini Khanna, a government official, also said something similar when we met last Saturday evening at K.C. Creations, a four-storey shop in Delhi's Central Market, famous for its variety of fabrics. She was lookin...