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Embroidery & Needlework
Hand embroidery is priced by stitch time, not by cloth. A single motif may take an hour or a week, and the same design executed in chain stitch, satin stitch, mirror work or metal thread will land at four different price points. This section covers surface embroidery, whitework, crewel, cross-stitch, appliqué and metal-thread traditions across the world, plus the lace and cutwork families that sit beside them. It is written for buyers who need to translate a design brief into a realistic per-piece labour estimate before asking any workshop for a quotation.
What goes wrong
Hand embroidery is put out to home workers almost everywhere, which makes it the craft where supply-chain compliance questions are hardest and most necessary. Ask where the stitching is actually done and who does it. Commercially, the issue is consistency: hand work varies piece to piece, and a buyer who expects machine uniformity should not be buying it. Agree a tolerance and a sealed sample range rather than a single approved piece.
Where this craft is made
Countries with real depth in this craft, and where inside them it concentrates.
| India The widest range of embroidery traditions — chikankari, kantha, phulkari, zardozi and more. | Open → |
| Uzbekistan — Bukhara Suzani silk embroidery with strong regional design identity. | Open → |
| Mexico — Oaxaca Village embroidery traditions with distinctive colour and motif systems. | Open → |
| China Fine silk embroidery traditions alongside very large commercial capacity. | Open → |
| Peru Andean embroidery worked over handwoven cloth. | Open → |
| Guatemala Maya embroidery and huipil work with village-specific patterning. | Open → |
| Afghanistan Known especially for its embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Bangladesh Known especially for its nakshi kantha embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Brazil One of the countries where this craft concentrates — the country page carries the full picture. | Open → |
| France One of the countries where this craft concentrates — the country page carries the full picture. | Open → |
| Greece Known especially for its embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Hungary Kalocsa; matyó embroidery. | Open → |
| Jordan Known especially for its embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Madagascar Known especially for its embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Pakistan Known especially for its embroidered textiles — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Romania Known especially for its embroidered blouses — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Ukraine Known especially for its embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
| Vietnam Known especially for its embroidery — the country page carries the full tradition. | Open → |
Explore this craft worldwide
| Product range and what is available | Explore → |
| Best known products by country | Explore → |
| Design traditions and patterns | Explore → |
| How to judge quality in the finished piece | Explore → |
| Telling handmade from machine-made | Explore → |
| Sizes, forms and typical dimensions | Explore → |
| Colours, finishes and surface options | Explore → |
| Price levels in the market | Explore → |
| Care, cleaning and durability | Explore → |
| Uses, styling and where the product fits | Explore → |
| Buying, minimum orders and lead time | Explore → |
| What buyers should check before ordering | Explore → |
| Geographical indications and craft marks | Explore → |
| Market demand and current trends | Explore → |
Famous names of the craft
Long-established houses of this craft worldwide. Each opens a live answer on that name.
| Maison Lesage — Paris · haute-couture embroidery atelier | Explore → |
| Atelier Montex — Paris · couture embroidery | Explore → |
| Hand & Lock — London · embroidery house, royal and military work | Explore → |
| Forster Rohner — St. Gallen · Swiss embroidery | Explore → |
| Jakob Schlaepfer — St. Gallen · couture textiles and embroidery | Explore → |
| Bischoff Textil — St. Gallen · embroidery house | Explore → |
| Royal School of Needlework — London · hand embroidery studio and school | Explore → |
| Chanakya — Mumbai · couture embroidery atelier for global fashion houses | Explore → |
| Kashmir Loom — Srinagar · pashmina and Kashmiri embroidery house | Explore → |
Fix these before asking for a quotation
- The technique, named exactly — the process, not the look.
- The input specification: material, grade and source.
- An agreed variation tolerance for size, colour and weight.
- The finish system, including who applies it.
- The compliance regime of your selling market, identified before sampling.