If you've searched "chikankari" online, you've probably noticed something confusing: two kurtas can look almost identical in photos, yet one costs ₹1,500 and the other costs ₹8,000. So what's the difference?
In almost every case, it comes down to one thing
whether the embroidery was actually done by hand.
Chikankari is a 200+ year old embroidery tradition from Lucknow, India, historically done entirely by needle and thread by skilled Karigars (artisans). Today, most of what's sold online as "chikankari" is machine-embroidered in bulk — technically imitating the look, but missing the craftsmanship, texture, and durability of the real thing. Here's how to tell them apart before you buy.
1. Look at the Back of the Fabric
This is the single most reliable test. Turn the garment inside out.
- Hand embroidery looks slightly imperfect on the back — you'll see the thread path, small knots, and subtle irregularities row to row. No two motifs are identical.
- Machine embroidery looks almost identical on the back and front, with a stiff, uniform stitch pattern and often a mesh or backing material still attached.
If the reverse side looks "too clean," it's machine work.
2. Check for Stitch Variety
Real chikankari isn't one stitch — it's a family of over 30 traditional stitches, including taipchi, bakhiya, phanda, jaali, and murri, often combined within a single motif to create shadow, texture, and depth.
Machine embroidery typically repeats one or two stitch types throughout, because that's what the machine is programmed to do. If every flower and leaf on the garment looks mechanically identical, it's not hand-done.
3. Feel the Fabric Behind the Embroidery
Hand embroidery is worked directly into breathable fabrics like cotton, mulmul, or georgette, and the needlework slightly puckers or textures the cloth around it — you can feel the embroidery, not just see it.
Machine work is often done on a stabilizer backing that's later cut away, which can leave the fabric feeling stiffer or slightly puckered in a uniform, "printed" way rather than an organic one.
4. Look for "Jaali" (Net) Work
Jaali is one of the most delicate chikankari techniques — threads are carefully pulled apart and secured to create tiny, even holes that form a net-like pattern, without cutting the fabric.
This is extremely difficult to replicate by machine. If a garment has fine, evenly spaced jaali work with no visible fraying, it's a strong sign of skilled hand craftsmanship — and honestly, one of the most beautiful parts of authentic chikankari.
5. Question Unusually Low Prices
Hand embroidery takes real artisans real time — a single kurta can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the complexity of the work. That labor has a cost.
If you see a "hand-embroidered" chikankari set priced lower than a basic printed kurta, that's a red flag. It doesn't mean the seller is lying maliciously — often "chikankari-style" machine work is marketed loosely as chikankari because the term isn't legally protected the way, say, Champagne is. But it does mean you're not getting the real thing.
(Tip: Lucknow Chikankari does have a GI — Geographical Indication — tag, which is the closest legal protection the craft has. Sellers who are GI-registered or source from GI-authorized artisan clusters are a good trust signal.)
Why This Matters for You
If you're buying chikankari as a gift, for a wedding, or to reconnect with a tradition from home, the difference isn't just aesthetic — it's about supporting the artisans in Lucknow who've kept this craft alive for generations, often as their family's primary livelihood.
At Riwaayat-e-Chikan, every piece is hand-embroidered by artisans in Lucknow, using the traditional stitches described above. We're happy to show the back of any garment on request — because that's where the truth of chikankari really shows.
