8 Types of Indian Embroidery You Should Know
India doesn't have one embroidery tradition. It has hundreds. Almost every region has its own stitches, motifs and colour language, often passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Some are quiet and almost invisible; others shine with mirrors and gold.
If you've ever looked at an embroidered piece and wondered what is this called?, this guide is for you. Here are eight of the best-known styles, where they come from, and the easiest way to recognise each one.
1. Kantha (Bengal)
Kantha is built on the humblest stitch there is: the running stitch. Traditionally, women in Bengal layered old saris and dhotis together and stitched them into soft quilts, so nothing went to waste. The stitches create a gentle rippled texture across the whole surface.
How to recognise it: rows of small, even dashes of thread, often running across the entire cloth, with motifs of flowers, fish, birds or everyday life worked in the same simple stitch.
2. Chikankari (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Chikankari is the art of restraint. Traditionally it is white thread on fine, light cotton or muslin, so the pattern comes from texture and shadow rather than colour. It uses a family of stitches, including shadow work done from the back of the fabric, tiny raised knots and delicate open-work.
How to recognise it: soft florals and vines in tone-on-tone thread, with a faint shadowed look where stitches show through from the reverse.
3. Phulkari (Punjab)
Phulkari means "flower work". It is stitched in brightly coloured, untwisted silk floss using a darning stitch worked from the back of the cloth, traditionally on hand-spun cotton. When the embroidery covers almost the whole fabric, the piece is called a bagh (garden).
How to recognise it: bold geometric shapes, often diamonds, in glossy yellow, orange, pink and red, with long straight stitches that catch the light.
4. Kutch Embroidery (Gujarat)
Kutch is famous for mirror work: small pieces of mirror held onto the fabric by a ring of dense stitching. Different communities in the region each have their own distinct style, colours and motifs, so "Kutch embroidery" is really a whole family of traditions.
How to recognise it: little round mirrors framed by colourful interlaced or buttonhole-style stitches, usually on deep red, black or indigo grounds.
5. Kasuti (Karnataka)
Kasuti is a counted-thread embroidery, which means each stitch is placed by counting the threads of the fabric. The result is crisp and perfectly geometric. Its motifs often draw from temple towers, chariots, lamps and birds, and it is traditionally linked with Ilkal saris.
How to recognise it: small, precise stepped patterns that look almost the same on the front and the back.
6. Zardozi (Lucknow and beyond)
The name comes from Persian: zar (gold) and dozi (sewing). Zardozi uses metallic threads, beads and sequins, laid on the surface and couched down with fine stitches. It is the embroidery of celebration, seen on bridal wear and festive pieces.
How to recognise it: raised, shimmering gold or silver patterns on rich fabrics like silk or velvet.
7. Kashida (Kashmir)
Kashida is the embroidery of Kashmir, worked in wool or silk thread. It uses chain stitch and fine stitches to create flowing designs inspired by the valley's nature: chinar leaves, almond blossoms, vines and birds.
How to recognise it: nature motifs in soft, flowing lines, often on shawls and woollen fabrics.
8. Toda Embroidery (Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu)
Toda embroidery is made by women of the Toda community in the Nilgiri hills. It is worked in red and black wool on off-white cotton, creating bold bands of geometric pattern. The stitching gives the surface a slightly raised, woven feel.
How to recognise it: striking red-and-black geometric stripes on white, instantly different from any other Indian style.
Why these traditions matter
Every one of these styles is slow. A single piece can take days or weeks of handwork, and no two pieces turn out exactly alike. Learning their names is the first step to valuing them, and to choosing clothes that keep these skills alive.
Hand embroidery is close to our hearts at Utakalp, and you'll be seeing more of it from us. Until then, explore our Rangrez Runway dresses in block print, Ajrakh and Ikkat, or read our guide to the types of block printing in India.
