In today's world this place is mainly known for something else. Apart from its temples, this small town is also known for its thriving handloom industry. This place is also known as silk city in Tamil Nadu. This is because of the fact that the main profession of the people living in and around this district is weaving silk sarees. The silk weavers of Kanchi settled more than 400 years ago. They have given it an enviable reputation as the producer of the best silk sarees in the country. Woven from pure mulberry silk and have an enviable reputation for texture, lustre, durability and finish. The sarees in dazzling colours are available in every imaginable design and variety, which can make the job of selection quite challenging.

More than 5,000 families are engaged in this industry and their spectacular creations are marketed by a number of co-operative societies, located all over the state. To compare with other silk sarees, the Kancheepuram silk sarees of Tamil Nadu are very famous in the world. The specialty lies in its architectural techniques, using standard quality of fine gold threads, etc. All these and many more made the Kancheepuram silk so costly and unique.