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The word bandhani has come from the hindi word “bandhan” which means to tie up. Bandhani work is a way of dyeing which is practiced mainly in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. These states produce dupattas, sarees and turbans of bandhani.

Bandhani work includes tie and dye of pieces of cotton or silk. Colours like yellow, red, green and black are usually used for this art. All the colours used for Bandhani are dark. Light colours are avoided and the background is usually black or red. Bandhani work, after it has been processed, turns out into a variety of shapes including dots, waves, stripes and squares.

Bandhani work is used on apparels for all kinds of occasions. Especially in the rural areas of India, bandhani is used for various rituals and traditions by women. For example, Suhagadi is worn by women after marriage and a Satbanteli is worn by women after her first child.

The bandhani is quite popular in the big cities as well. Urban women wear bandhani skirts, kurtis and bandhani sarees. Besides, bandhani shawls, scarves, handkerchiefs, bed sheets, tablecloths, etc are also popular.

Bandhani production is very tedious but the result is extremely attractive. Men and women both carry out the production work. Usually, men do the dying, whereas, women do the tying. It is an extremely intricate and complicated procedure. The cloth is first washed, then bleached so that it can absorb the colour. Then the tying process is carried out. The next step is to dip the tied textiles in a light colour. This practice is continued if numerous colours are required.

The bandhani art has a rich history. It was introduced by the Khatri community in Muslims in the city of Kutch. The final products of Bandhani are classified into the ‘Khombi’, ‘Ghar Chola’, ‘Patori’, and ‘Chandrokhani’.

Apparel Industry in India often largely depends on the textile industry as the ethnic strata for fashion is covered here. Despite the growing market, there is not enough marketing or financial assistance to back this industry. The rich craft of India is often popular in its primary market and yet the marketing is not strongly felt in other centers. The thriving centers are located in Ludhiana, Tamil Nadu and other cities.

The textile industry of south India is doing well and the prints are very ethnic in its structure. A lot of mechanization is done to produce bulk products in saris and dress materials with modern dyes and new colors each season. Adaptation is the true form of Indian art and there are textile handicrafts like jute or cloth textures which have introduced hand bags, pursers, upholstery and other similar house hold items. The works are spread over textile products like brocade, yokes, saris, shawls, phulkari art and also ikat prints.

The tie and dye pattern or the bandhni art is highly popular in its make. Fabric art is also getting popular with patterns on designer sari which carries the motifs of international ramp standards. The weaving industry in India is also a main part of textile art. The spinning of cotton is a delicate art and the texturing of the fabric is done with sophisticated machines.

The art is seeing a large effect of modernization and many colleges are offering premium courses in this aspect. The arrangement of fashion is interesting with various fibers, knit weaves, cotton treatment and new trends that are set by fashion diktats. The trend is again towards arriving at a compromise in retaining ethnic charm and fusing the same with latest fibers. The print or pattern designing is also a major subject of textile. The simplicity of hand made garments or decorative items is the chief form of Indian art.

India is a land of numerous customs and cultures. All of them flourish in tandem. India has established its presence in many parts of lifestyle segment. Right from fashion to accessories and jewelries, India has literally arrived. What we are going to talk about is Indian embroidered garments. There is a huge demand for such garments in many parts of the world. Indian embroidered garments are available in amazing numbers of variety. No wonder, popularity of such garments has reached the crescendo.

Among all the existing and popular embroidered garments, Zardozi embroidery has acquired the maximum fame. It is in existence since centuries. The word zardozi is a combination of two Persian words Zar and dozi that means gold and embroidery respectively. Zardozi work uses gold or silver zari threads. Also known as metal embroidery, Zardozi embroidery has also changed with time. For example, instead of normal threads, colorful metal threads are in vogue these days.

The concept of zardozi can be traced to Persia and from there Mughals brought it with them to India. It had a topsy-turvy ride in different eras. After flourishing seamlessly during initial Mughal period, it was banned by Aurangzeb. But after the independence, zardozi was again revived keeping in mind its significance and class. Initially only gold and silver threads were used on clothes to make beautiful designs on wallpapers and bed sheets etc. Different fabrics like silk, velvet, brocade and crepe etc are used for zardozi work. Normally these fabrics are heavy and thick and that makes them ideal for heavy work of zardozi.

The basic things required for zardozi are sequins, coiled wires, dabka and beads etc. the metal wires used are coiled and heavy weight. The precision and quality of the work requires fabrics to be expensive. This art requires great patience and skill. From being a part of royal people’s lifestyle, zardozi work has started reaching to middle class also. It can be commonly seen in wedding functions.

Embroidery is an important element in Indian fashion right from prehistoric times to the modern fashionable times. Embroidery adds to the look of the material with beautiful designs on them. Materials like metal strips, beads, quills, pearls and sequins are also used in Indian embroidery. Embroidery is classified according to the type of stitch that is done to the fabric. Some of them are names as free embroidery, counted-thread embroidery, surface embroidery etc.

Hand embroidery is thousands of years old and its exquisite use can be seen throughout history of India. The Kantha Embroidery is the one the most popular form of embroidery practiced by the rural women in India. It was on dhotis and saris that the traditional form of Kantha embroidery were done. Kantha Embroidery is a simple stitch that is made on the borders. Themes of day to day activities are a common subject for this embroidery. The present fashion industry uses Kantha embroidery on garments like the sarees, dupatta, kameez, shirts for men and women, kurta etc. The base fabric used is cotton and silk.

Gota and Kinari embroidery is yet famous Indian embroidery used extensively on designer sarees. It involves placing woven gold cloth onto other fabric so as to create different e textures on the surface. Kinari embroidery also known as edging, predominantly practiced by Muslim craftsmen, is the fringed border decoration.

The Phulkari embroidery is a type that is extensively used in Haryana and Punjab. Birds, flowers and human figures are normally embroidered on red or orange cotton khadi cloth. Phulkari embroidery is put on to the cloth from the reverse side using needles and one thread at a time. The embroidery is usually done with silk or satin thread. Indian embroidery is a highly respected art in foreign countries.