How to Identify Real Chikankari
Updated July 2026
Chikankari's popularity has led to a flood of machine-printed and machine-embroidered imitations sold as 'chikan work.' Here's what to actually look for.
Check the back of the fabric first
Genuine hand chikankari is worked stitch-by-stitch from the back of the fabric, so the reverse side shows the same thread tension and small knots as the front — it's never perfectly flat or glued.
Machine embroidery or printed 'chikan-style' patterns usually look flat or identical front-to-back, with no visible thread irregularity on the reverse.
Look for natural irregularity, not perfect symmetry
Hand embroidery has slight, human variation — stitch spacing that isn't machine-perfect, motifs that are close but not identical to one another on the same garment.
This isn't a flaw. It's actually the clearest sign of genuine handwork, since a machine repeats an exact pattern every time.
Feel the texture, don't just look
Run a finger over the embroidered area. Hand chikankari has a raised, textured feel from stitches like bakhiya (shadow work) or murri (knot stitch) sitting slightly above the fabric.
A printed imitation feels flat against the base fabric, since there's no actual thread built up on the surface.
Ask what stitch technique was used
A genuine chikankari seller can usually name the specific stitches used — jaali (net-like open work), bakhiya, mukesh (metallic thread accents) and similar named techniques.
A vague answer like "it's chikan print" is a signal the piece may be a machine reproduction rather than hand-worked.
Where Welta pieces stand
Every Welta piece is hand-embroidered in our Lucknow atelier. Where a specific stitch — jaali, mukesh, bakhiya — is used, we name it directly on the product page rather than using generic "chikankari" language for everything.
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