Fashion Design Terms in Hindi

Pattern making in Hindi is पैटर्न मेकिंग (paiṭarn meking), an English loanword widely used in the Indian garment industry. The traditional Hindi term is काट-छाँट (kāṭ-chhā̃ṭ, cutting and trimming). A pattern piece is पैटर्न का टुकड़ा (paiṭarn kā ṭukḍā). A dart is डार्ट (ḍārṭ), and seam allowance is सिलाई का हाशिया (silāī kā hāshiyā, sewing margin) or simply सीम अलाउंस (sīm alāuṃs). Grading is ग्रेडिंग (greḍing). The Indian garment industry freely mixes Hindi and English technical terms, and most production teams are comfortable with both.

Draping is ड्रेपिंग (ḍreping), and a dress form is डमी (ḍamī) or गुड्डा (guḍḍā, a traditional term). A toile or sample garment is सैंपल (saiṃpal) or नमूना (namūnā, meaning sample or specimen). The bias cut is तिरछा काट (tirachhā kāṭ, diagonal cut), and the grainline is कपड़े का रेशा (kapḍe kā reshā, fabric grain). India's garment industry has particular strength in embroidery (कढ़ाई, kaḍhāī) and hand finishing, so terms related to embellishment and artisan techniques are especially important when working with Indian manufacturers.

India's textile heritage is one of the richest in the world, with fabrics like khadi, chikan, bandhani, and ikat having global recognition. Fabric in Hindi is कपड़ा (kapḍā), and textile is वस्त्र (vastra, a more formal Sanskritic term). Cotton is सूती (sūtī) or कॉटन (kŏṭan), silk is रेशम (resham), wool is ऊन (ūn), and linen is लिनन (linan). The warp is ताना (tānā) and the weft is बाना (bānā) — terms used for centuries in Indian handloom traditions.

India-specific fabrics have their own well-established terms. Khadi (खादी, khādī) is hand-spun and hand-woven fabric, carrying deep cultural and political significance. Muslin is मलमल (malmal), referencing the legendary fine cotton fabric historically produced in Bengal. Chiffon is शिफॉन (shifŏn), georgette is जॉर्जेट (jŏrjeṭ), and brocade is ज़री का कपड़ा (zarī kā kapḍā, gold-thread fabric). When sourcing Indian textiles, knowing these traditional fabric names alongside modern terminology ensures you can navigate both artisan workshops and industrial mills effectively.

India's garment vocabulary includes both Western and traditional garment types. A shirt is शर्ट (sharṭ) or कमीज़ (kamīz), trousers are पतलून (patlūn) or पैंट (painṭ), a skirt is स्कर्ट (skarṭ), a dress is ड्रेस (ḍres), and a jacket is जैकेट (jaikeṭ). For traditional garments, a sari is साड़ी (sāḍī), a salwar kameez is सलवार कमीज़ (salvār kamīz), a lehenga is लहंगा (lahṅgā), and a kurta is कुर्ता (kurtā). These traditional garment forms are increasingly incorporated into contemporary fashion globally.

Component terms include: collar कॉलर (kŏlar), sleeve आस्तीन (āstīn) or बाँह (bā̃h), cuff कफ (kaf), pocket जेब (jeb), zipper ज़िप (zip) or चेन (chen), and button बटन (baṭan). The hem is किनारा (kinārā) or हेम (hem), a lining is अस्तर (astar), and interfacing is इंटरलाइनिंग (iṃṭarlāining). For Indian garment specifics, dupatta (दुपट्टा, dupaṭṭā) is the scarf or stole worn with salwar kameez, and churidar (चूड़ीदार, chūḍīdār) refers to fitted trousers gathered at the ankle.

Quality control is गुणवत्ता नियंत्रण (guṇvattā niyaṃtraṇ) or simply QC (kyu-sī). A defect is दोष (doṣ) or खराबी (kharābī), and the defect rate is दोष दर (doṣ dar). An inspection is निरीक्षण (nirīkṣaṇ) or जाँच (jā̃ch). India's garment export industry is well-versed in international quality standards including AQL, and most export-oriented factories use English quality documentation alongside Hindi communication on the factory floor.

Production vocabulary includes उत्पादन (utpādan, production), डिलीवरी समय (ḍilīvrī samay, delivery time/lead time), and न्यूनतम ऑर्डर मात्रा (nyūnatam ŏrḍar mātrā, minimum order quantity). A fit sample is फिटिंग सैंपल (fiṭing saiṃpal), and a pre-production sample is प्री-प्रोडक्शन सैंपल (prī-proḍakshan saiṃpal). Approval is मंज़ूरी (maṃzūrī), a term that carries weight in Indian business culture. Building in extra time for the approval process is advisable when working with Indian factories, as multiple stakeholders may need to sign off before production begins.

India's embroidery traditions are unparalleled in variety and craftsmanship. Chikankari (चिकनकारी, chikankārī) is the delicate white-on-white embroidery from Lucknow. Zardozi (ज़रदोज़ी, zardozī) is heavy metallic thread and bead embroidery used in bridal and occasion wear. Phulkari (फुलकारी, phulkārī) is the vibrant geometric embroidery from Punjab. Kantha (कांथा, kāṃthā) is the running-stitch quilting technique from Bengal. Each tradition has its own vocabulary for stitches, motifs, and quality grades.

When commissioning embroidered or embellished work from Indian artisans, specificity is essential. Define the embroidery area as कढ़ाई का क्षेत्र (kaḍhāī kā kṣetra), thread type as धागे का प्रकार (dhāge kā prakār), and stitch density as टाँके की सघनता (ṭā̃ke kī saghanatā). For beadwork, specify bead size as मोती का आकार (motī kā ākār) and placement as जड़ाई (jaḍāī, setting/embedding). Providing detailed visual references alongside these Hindi terms ensures that the artisan's interpretation matches your design vision.

India's garment industry spans from high-tech export factories to traditional artisan workshops, and communication approaches must adapt accordingly. For large-scale manufacturers, Skema3D renderings paired with bilingual English-Hindi tech packs provide the visual precision needed for consistent production. Annotate key design details using the terms from this guide, and share files digitally — WhatsApp is the dominant business communication tool in the Indian garment industry, even more so than email.

For artisan collaborations, where work is often commissioned through intermediaries or directly with master craftspeople, Skema3D visuals serve as invaluable reference tools. Many artisan workshops operate on verbal instructions and physical samples rather than formal tech packs. A 3D rendering that shows embroidery placement, color specifications, and construction details bridges the gap between digital design and traditional craftsmanship, reducing the iterations needed to achieve the desired result.