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If you've shopped for Chikankari online, you've probably noticed the huge range in price for what looks like the same white-on-white embroidery. The difference usually comes down to one thing — whether the piece is genuinely hand-embroidered, or a machine-made imitation styled to look like it.
Here's how to tell the difference before you buy.
01 — Why It Matters
A craft measured in hours, not seconds
Hand-embroidered Chikankari is slow work — a single garment can take an artisan many hours to complete, stitch by stitch. Machine embroidery can replicate the general look of Chikankari patterns quickly and cheaply, but it can't reproduce the texture, subtle irregularity, and depth that hand work naturally has. Knowing what to look for helps you understand exactly what you're paying for.
02 — The First Test
Check the back of the fabric
This is the single most reliable test. Hand embroidery is worked stitch by stitch from the back of the fabric, so the reverse side shows a similarly textured, slightly raised pattern that roughly mirrors the front — sometimes called “shadow work,” because the design is visible from both sides.
Machine embroidery, by contrast, usually has a flatter, more uniform back, often with a distinct thread pattern that looks mechanical rather than hand-worked, and sometimes a visible backing material.
If you're shopping online, look for product photos that specifically show the reverse side of the fabric — a brand confident in its handwork will usually show this.
Genuine handwork isn't perfect.
It's alive.
03 — Look Closely
Natural irregularity is the signature, not the flaw
Hand embroidery has small, human variations — a stitch that's fractionally different in tension or spacing from the one beside it. Machine embroidery, by contrast, is extremely uniform, with every repeat of a pattern looking identical. If a design looks mathematically perfect at every repeat, it's worth asking more questions before assuming it's hand-worked.
04 — Feel It
Texture tells the truth
Hand Chikankari has a slightly raised, tactile quality where the thread sits on the fabric, particularly with stitches like murri — small, grain-like knots — or phanda, a delicate French-knot style stitch. Machine work tends to sit flatter against the fabric.
05 — Speak the Language
Ask about the specific stitches used
Genuine Chikankari work is built from a defined vocabulary of traditional stitches — names like bakhiya, phanda, murri, and jaali refer to specific, recognizable techniques passed down through generations of Lucknow's artisan community. A brand that can tell you which stitches are used on a specific piece, rather than speaking only in general terms like “hand embroidered,” is usually working with genuine craft knowledge.
Before You Buy
Three questions worth asking any brand
- 1Can you show me the reverse side of the fabric?
- 2What specific stitches are used on this piece?
- 3Where is the embroidery done?
A brand that can answer these clearly and specifically — not just with marketing language — is a good sign you're buying the real thing.
Feathers by Priya
Handwork you can hold up to the light
Every Feathers by Priya piece is hand-embroidered, with the craft details specific to each product listed on its own product page. Browse our Chikankari kurtas to see the handwork up close, or read more about our approach to sourcing and craft.
Want to understand the individual stitches by name? Read our companion guide: Chikankari Stitches Explained: Bakhiya, Phanda, Murri and Jaali (coming soon).
