September 1, 2026 · Mahesh Agarwal, Founder
Kurtis get treated as summer clothing, and that costs most wardrobes three or four months of use every year. There is no real reason for it. A kurti layers as easily as any shirt or tunic, and in much of North India the wedding season falls squarely in the cold months, when people are wearing ethnic clothes more often, not less.
Most of what makes a kurti work in winter comes down to two decisions: the weight of the fabric, and one well-chosen layer.
A fine summer cotton will not keep anyone warm, whatever you put over it. What works is fabric with some body to it.
Heavier cotton and khadi hold warmth far better than light cambric or mul, and khadi in particular has a texture that reads well in winter light. Crepe is quietly one of the best winter fabrics in this category, because it has weight and drape without bulk, and it does not crease when you layer something over it. For festive and wedding wear, heavier silks and blended fabrics carry both the warmth and the occasion.
If you are buying, ask about fabric weight rather than just fabric name. Two pieces both described as cotton can behave completely differently in December.
This is the part most people skip, and it is the one that actually keeps you warm.
A thin full-sleeve top or a fitted high-neck layer worn under a kurti adds real warmth and almost no bulk. In a plain colour it looks deliberate rather than improvised, particularly under a sleeveless or short-sleeved kurti. Thermal innerwear does the same job invisibly under a slightly looser cut.
Choose the kurti with this in mind. A skin-tight fit leaves no room for an inner layer, which is why relaxed and straight cuts are more useful in winter than fitted ones.
This is where the outfit gets its character.
A long shrug or cardigan is the easiest option. It adds length and warmth at once, and works especially well over a short kurti, where the extra length changes the proportion for the better.
A denim jacket over a printed kurti is the most reliable casual winter look going, and it needs no thought at all. It pairs naturally with a denim kurti range if you want the two-tone version.
A sleeveless or Nehru-collar jacket over a plain kurti gives structure without heat, which makes it the sensible office choice. It also photographs well, which is why jacket-style kurtis have become a steady festive seller.
A long coat over an ankle-length kurti is the most formal version, and works best when the kurti underneath is plain and the coat does the talking.
There is a reason this has survived generations. A good shawl adds warmth, adds an occasion, and can be taken off indoors without ruining the outfit, which no jacket manages as gracefully.
For everyday wear, a narrow stole draped on one shoulder is enough. For weddings and festive evenings, a heavier embroidered shawl over a long kurti does more work than any amount of embroidery on the kurti itself, and costs the wearer less.
Churidar and woollen leggings are the warmest option and the most traditional. Straight-cut trousers in a heavier fabric work for office. Jeans work for everything casual, and are warmer than most people give them credit for.
The one thing to avoid is a light flowing palazzo in cold weather. It looks lovely and does nothing at all, and the wearer will not repeat the outfit.
Winter is the season where high necks earn their place. They cover more, they layer neatly under a shawl, and they give embroidery a large surface to sit on. Full sleeves are the obvious partner. Our guide to kurti neck designs covers which necklines suit layering and which fight it.
Deep necklines are not off the table, they just need the inner layer to be part of the plan rather than an afterthought.
Winter carries deeper shades better than summer does. Maroon, bottle green, mustard, rust, navy, charcoal. These also happen to be wedding-season colours in much of the country, which is convenient. Lighter shades still work, particularly ivory and beige with a darker layer over them.
In North India the cold months are the wedding months, which changes the buying pattern completely. Customers want ethnic wear that is warm enough to sit through an outdoor function. That usually means a heavier fabric, a full sleeve, and a shawl rather than a light dupatta. Party wear kurtis and designer kurtis in heavier fabrics move well in exactly this window.
The honest caveat first. Winter is a real and significant selling season in the north, and a very short one in Mumbai, Gujarat and most of the south. A retailer in Delhi or Jaipur can plan a proper winter range. A retailer in Chennai cannot, and should not tie up capital pretending otherwise.
Where winter does matter, three things sell. Heavier fabrics in the same designs your customers already buy. Full sleeves and high necks. And anything that layers, because customers buy the layer more readily than they buy a whole new kurti.
One practical point from the shop floor. Show the layered look on the rack rather than the kurti alone. A customer looking at a plain kurti in December is doing the mental work of imagining it warm. Do that work for her and the sale becomes much easier. The same logic applies to styling short kurtis, where the pairing sells the piece.
For range planning and order sizing, our wholesale buying guide covers the basics, and the types of kurtis guide explains how the categories fit together.
Snehal Creation Inc has been manufacturing women’s ethnic wear in Mumbai since 2003, supplying retailers across India with kurtis, tunics and tops in a range of fabrics and weights, at wholesale rates that leave room for a healthy margin.
WhatsApp: +91 97695 39989
Website: www.snehalcreation.com
Wholesale registration: Create your wholesale account
बेहतर कुर्तियाँ, बेहतर बिज़नेस, बेहतर भविष्य।
