Chikankari Cotton – Catchy and Cool

Cotton dresses and sarees are known for elegance and simplicity. Cotton, though simple, gives a rich look to the wearer. This is more true when you are wearing a cotton dress or saree with Chikankari work.

History of Chikankari

The history of Chikankari cotton work goes back to the tenure of Jahangir. Noor Jahan, Jahangir’s wife is said to have invented this unique embroidery work. Initially it began as a hobby and was done basically on white cotton cloth using white thread.

At present, chikankari cotton work is more prevalent in Lucknow and there are exceptional and excellent workers around this region. A finished fabric with chikankari work is a feast to the eye, but a lot of labor and hard work has to be put in to get this output. The process is lengthy and starts with making the design on the cloth, then hand stitching the design, usually using white thread. After stitching, the design is carefully removed by washing. The designs are made on the cloth using blocks, which usually consists of flowers, animals and birds. The stitching is unique and gives a different look and one can identify chikankari work just by a look.

Initially, only cotton fabrics and white thread were used in this work. As the fashion world changed, Chikankari cotton workers also changed their originality to capture the market. Now one can get Chikankari work done on silk using silk threads and also stones to enhance the rich look.

Hand work on cotton

Cotton Chikankari work materials give a tough competition to their counterparts like synthetic materials and even silk.

Since chikankari work includes a lot of labour and hard work, the cost is relatively high, but is certainly worth compared to the cool looks it gives. This is not restricted to only women’s fabrics, but also has earned a place in men’s Kurtas, especially in wedding dresses. Lucknowy chikankari fabric stands out amongst other types of fabrics available in the market and catches everyone’s eyes. Don’t ignore it as cotton, cotton is cool, cotton is elegant, and this cotton is rich as well.