Venkatagiri sarees history find their roots dating back to the 1700s under the patronage of the Velugoti Dynasty of Nellore. Other dynasties such as the Bobbili and Pithapuram have also contributed to the spread of this craft. Master weavers who moved here from the district of Kurnool are known to specially hand-craft these sarees for the royalty and riches of Southern India.

Venkatagiri gets its name from its place of origin, the district of Venkatagiri. It is located on the outskirts of Nellore.

The process starts with the dyeing of the yarn. After dyeing, it is starched and brought to the master weavers by their merchants. The yarn is then spun into a thread in the charkha, ready to be looped in the handloom for weaving. It is traditionally woven on a shuttle pit loom.

The motifs are woven in the field, and the pallu is done using the extra-weft technique. The warp yarns are spread based on the design pattern in the open space outside the house. The Adai technique is carried out for the laying of the Jamdani design.

Venkatagiri sarees are distinguished amongst themselves based on their weave count and blend. There are primarily three types: Venkatagiri 100, Venkatagiri-putta and Venkatagiri-Silk. The Venkatagiri 100 has a cotton composition and a thread count of 80-100. 

It is known to be the lightest and softest owing to its magnanimous thread count.