The 8 Great Embroidery Traditions of Indian Men's Ethnic Wear

Indian embroidery is not one tradition — it is dozens, each rooted in a specific geography, cultural context, and set of techniques refined over centuries. When you buy a handcrafted ethnic garment, you are not just buying clothing. You are wearing a tradition. Here are the eight embroidery forms that define Paarshin's collection and what makes each one worth knowing.

1. Zardosi

From the Persian for 'gold thread', zardosi is the embroidery of Mughal courts. Thick metallic wire (gold or silver) is coiled onto fabric using a needle and heavy thread — a labour-intensive technique that creates raised, three-dimensional metalwork. True zardosi has physical weight. It is the embroidery of ceremony, grandeur, and the most important occasions.

2. Chikankari

From Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, chikankari is a 400-year-old tradition of white thread embroidery on fine fabric. It uses up to 36 distinct stitches — including shadow work, tepchi, phanda, and bakhiya — to create delicate patterns with light and texture rather than colour. It holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The embroidery of refinement over grandeur.

3. Madhubani

From the Mithila region of Bihar, Madhubani is one of India's oldest visual art forms — practised for over 2,500 years. Originally painted onto walls and floors for festivals and ceremonies, it has been applied to fabric using embroidery stitches including kantha, aari work, and khich work. It uses geometric patterns, nature motifs, and scenes from Hindu mythology. Awarded GI status.

4. Phulkari

From Punjab, Phulkari means 'flower work'. Traditionally stitched by women as gifts for weddings and festivals, Phulkari uses brightly coloured silk thread on coarse cotton fabric to create geometric floral patterns. The embroidery was historically made by mothers for their daughters as a form of love and labour. It is one of India's most joyful and colourful textile traditions.

5. Mirror Work (Shisha Embroidery)

Originating in Gujarat and Rajasthan, mirror work — shisha in Hindi — involves embedding small reflective discs into fabric using embroidery thread. The mirrors were originally believed to ward off the evil eye. Today they are the defining element of festive ethnic wear that catches and scatters light under any lighting condition. It is the embroidery of celebration.

6. Aari Work

From Kashmir, aari work uses a hooked needle (the aari) to create continuous chain-stitch embroidery on fine fabric. The technique allows for fluid, curved lines and intricate floral patterns that are impossible to achieve with a straight needle. It is one of the most technically demanding forms of hand embroidery and is most commonly seen on shawls, kurtas, and formal jackets.

7. Kantha Stitch

From West Bengal and Bangladesh, kantha stitch is one of the oldest running-stitch traditions in the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally used to stitch together layers of old saris into soft quilts, kantha has evolved into a fine embroidery form where the simple running stitch — repeated in patterns and motifs — creates textural depth and quiet elegance.

8. Gotta Patti

From Rajasthan, gotta patti uses strips of metallic ribbon (originally pure gold and silver, now often metallic fabric) applied to garments to create borders, motifs, and all-over patterns. The shimmer of gotta patti has a distinctively warm, celebratory quality associated with Rajasthani weddings and festivals.

Every Paarshin garment names its embroidery tradition in the product description — because knowing what you are wearing makes wearing it more meaningful. Browse the full collection here.