August 23, 2026 · Mahesh Agarwal, Founder
Chikankari is one of the few styles that never really goes out of season. A good white chikankari kurti sells through the summer for its coolness and through the festive months for its grace, which is rare in a market that usually swings hard between the two. It is also one of the most copied crafts in Indian fashion, so a large part of buying it well is simply knowing what you are looking at.
This guide covers what chikankari actually is, the stitches and types you will come across, how to tell genuine hand work from a machine copy, and how to care for it so it lasts.
Chikankari is a traditional hand embroidery from Lucknow, worked in fine thread on light fabric. Classic chikankari is white thread on white or pastel cloth, which gives it that soft, shadowed look, though coloured thread and pastel bases are common now. The work is done by hand, stitch by stitch, which is why genuine chikankari takes time and carries a price to match.
The base fabric matters as much as the thread. Chikankari sits best on light, breathable cloth, which is why cotton, mul and fine georgette are the usual choices. On a heavy fabric the delicacy of the work is lost.
You do not need to be an expert, but knowing a few stitch names helps you judge quality and talk to a supplier with some authority.
Tepchi is a simple running stitch used for outlines and as a base for other work. A lot of affordable chikankari is mostly tepchi.
Bakhiya is the shadow work chikankari is famous for, where the thread is worked on the reverse so the pattern shows through softly from the front. This is the look most people picture when they think of chikankari.
Phanda and murri are the tiny knotted stitches that form grains and flower centres. Dense, well-made murri work is a sign of skilled hands and pushes up both the time and the price.
Jaali is the delicate net-like work where threads are teased apart to create a mesh without cutting the fabric. Good jaali is one of the clearest marks of quality chikankari.
In practice, chikankari kurtis divide a few useful ways.
By fabric. Cotton and mul chikankari are the everyday and summer favourites, light and breathable. Georgette and other fine fabrics move the same work into party and festive territory. Our cotton kurtis guide covers how these bases behave.
By density of work. Light chikankari with a worked yoke and scattered motifs is the daily-wear staple. Heavily worked pieces, where the embroidery covers much of the garment, are festive and occasion wear, and priced accordingly.
By length and cut. The work suits almost every cut, from a short kurti to a full long kurti and Anarkali. A white chikankari kurti with a worked yoke is one of the most versatile pieces a wardrobe can hold. See our full chikankari kurti range for the spread.
This is the part worth reading twice, because the price difference is large and the two can look similar at a glance. Machine embroidery and print copies are everywhere, and there is nothing wrong with buying one as long as you know that is what you are buying and pay accordingly.
Look at the reverse. This is the surest test. Hand chikankari has a slightly irregular, worked back, often with the soft shadow of bakhiya visible. Machine work has a flat, uniform, repetitive back, and printed chikankari has no thread on the reverse at all.
Look for small irregularities. Hand work has tiny natural variations in stitch size and spacing. Machine work is perfectly even and identical from one motif to the next, which sounds better but is the giveaway.
Check the density and the knots. Fine phanda and murri knots and proper jaali are hard to machine convincingly. If the grains and net work look crisp and hand-made, it usually is.
Judge by price. Genuine hand chikankari cannot be cheap, because it is hours of skilled labour. A very low price on a heavily worked piece almost always means machine work or print, whatever the label says.
Chikankari is delicate by nature, and a little care keeps it looking new for years.
Hand wash in cold water with a mild detergent, or use a gentle machine cycle inside a mesh bag. Never wring it, because that pulls the threads. Dry it in the shade rather than direct sun, especially for pastels and coloured thread. Iron on medium heat from the reverse so the raised work is not flattened, and store it folded with a little space rather than crushed against heavier clothes. Treated well, a good chikankari piece outlasts almost everything else in the wardrobe.
White and pastel chikankari is easy to style because it goes with almost anything. Keep the bottom simple, in plain white, cream or a soft matching tone, and let the work speak. Churidar and straight pants both suit it. A light contrast dupatta lifts a plain chikankari kurti for a festive look, which we covered in the dupatta draping guide. Oxidised silver or pearl jewellery suits the softness of the work better than heavy gold. For more on necklines and finishing, see our guide to kurti neck designs.
Chikankari is a reliable year-round seller, but it rewards honesty about what you are selling. Be clear with your customers about hand versus machine work and price each accordingly, because a customer who discovers machine work sold as hand chikankari does not come back. Stock light, everyday cotton and mul pieces for volume, and hold a smaller block of finely worked georgette and heavier pieces for the festive season. Because the white and pastel palette is so consistent, chikankari is one of the easier categories to build depth in without your rack looking repetitive.
Our types of kurtis guide shows where chikankari sits in a full range, the best fabrics for kurtis guide covers the bases it is worked on, and the wholesale buying guide deals with order planning.
A chikankari kurti is a kurti embroidered with chikankari, a traditional hand embroidery from Lucknow worked in fine thread on light fabric. Classic chikankari is white thread on white or pastel cloth, usually cotton, mul or georgette.
Look at the reverse of the fabric. Hand chikankari has a slightly irregular worked back, often with soft shadow work showing through, while machine embroidery has a flat, uniform, repetitive back and printed chikankari has no thread on the reverse at all. Small natural variations in the stitches also point to genuine hand work.
Light, breathable fabrics suit chikankari best. Cotton and mul are ideal for everyday and summer wear, while fine georgette carries the same work into party and festive wear. Heavy fabrics are avoided because they hide the delicacy of the embroidery.
Yes. Chikankari is traditionally worked on light cotton and mul, which makes it one of the coolest and most breathable options for Indian summers, while still looking dressy enough for occasions.
Hand wash in cold water with a mild detergent, or use a gentle machine cycle inside a mesh bag. Do not wring it, dry it in the shade, and iron on medium heat from the reverse so the raised work is not flattened.
Genuine hand chikankari is hours of skilled labour, stitch by stitch, so a heavily worked hand piece cannot be cheap. A very low price on a densely worked kurti usually means machine embroidery or print rather than hand work.
Snehal Creation Inc has been manufacturing women’s ethnic wear in Mumbai since 2003, supplying retailers across India with chikankari kurtis, tunics and tops at wholesale rates that leave room for a healthy margin.
WhatsApp: +91 97695 39989
Website: www.snehalcreation.com
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बेहतर कुर्तियाँ, बेहतर बिज़नेस, बेहतर भविष्य।
