Short answer: for everyday and summer kurtis, buyers mostly choose cotton (cambric, slub, mulmul) or rayon. Cotton breathes best. Rayon is softer, drapes better and takes bright prints, but it can shrink. For festive and party wear, georgette, crepe, chanderi and embroidered fabrics like hakoba are common. The right fabric depends on your customers' season, budget and how they will wash the kurti.
Quick comparison
| Fabric | Feel | Best season | Washing | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton cambric | Smooth, crisp, fine weave | Summer, all year | Easy; may shrink a little the first time | Office and daily wear |
| Cotton slub | Textured, with thick-and-thin yarn | Summer | Easy | Casual, handloom look |
| Mulmul (muslin) | Very soft, light, slightly sheer | Peak summer | Gentle wash | Comfort wear; often needs a lining |
| Rayon (viscose) | Soft, cool, flowing drape | Summer to mild winter | Can shrink; cold, gentle wash | Printed daily wear, A-line and straight kurtis |
| Hakoba | Cotton with schiffli or eyelet embroidery | Summer | Gentle wash | Smart casual and light festive wear |
| Georgette | Light, slightly grainy, sheer | All year | Gentle; often dry clean for embellished pieces | Festive and party wear; needs a lining |
| Crepe | Smooth with a slight crinkle | All year | Easy; doesn't crease much | Printed office and travel wear |
| Chanderi | Light with a soft sheen (silk-cotton blend) | Festive, all year | Gentle or dry clean | Festive and occasion wear |
| Khadi | Handspun, slightly coarse | All year | Gets softer with washing | Ethnic and handloom ranges |
Cotton: cambric, slub and mulmul
Cambric is a fine, tightly woven plain cotton with a crisp finish. It holds prints well and looks neat, which makes it a favourite for office-wear kurtis. Slub cotton is woven from yarn with deliberate thick and thin spots, giving a textured, handloom-style look. Mulmul (muslin) is a very soft, light cotton, the most comfortable in heat but often sheer enough to need a lining.
All cotton can shrink slightly on the first wash. Ask the supplier whether the fabric is pre-shrunk, and check the sample.
Rayon: soft, bright and popular
Rayon (also called viscose) is made from plant cellulose that is processed into fibre. It feels cool and soft, drapes better than cotton and takes bright, sharp prints, which is why so many printed kurtis are rayon. The downsides: it can shrink and lose shape if washed hot, and it is weaker when wet. Tell your customers to wash rayon cold and gently, and include that on your product card.
You will also see blends such as rayon slub, with rayon's softness and slub's texture, and cotton-rayon mixes.
Hakoba: embroidered cotton
"Hakoba" is the trade name for cotton with schiffli (machine) embroidery, often with small cut-outs or eyelets. It looks dressier than plain cotton while staying breathable, so it sells well for summer occasions. Check that the embroidery thread is secure and the cut-outs are cleanly finished.
Festive fabrics: georgette, crepe and chanderi
- Georgette is light and flowing. Budget georgette is usually polyester; better ranges may use silk blends. It is often sheer, so check the lining.
- Crepe has a slight crinkle, resists creasing and suits printed office and travel wear.
- Chanderi comes from Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh and is traditionally a silk-cotton blend with a soft sheen, popular for festive kurtis and sets. Many "chanderi" kurtis are chanderi-look fabrics, so ask what the fabric really is.
Surat is a major source of synthetic and polyester-based festive fabrics. See our Surat textile market guide.
What to check before buying kurtis wholesale
- The exact fabric name, not just "premium" or "imported". Ask: "Is this 100% cotton, rayon, or a blend?"
- Weight or thickness: ask for the GSM if the supplier knows it, or compare it by hand against your sample.
- A colour test: wash the sample once in plain water and see whether the colour runs.
- Shrinkage: measure the sample before and after washing.
- Lining: for mulmul, georgette and light colours, is a lining included?
- Stitching and finish: seams, hems and the neckline.
When a listing gives the fabric in its details, use it to compare sellers like for like, then confirm it on the sample.
Which fabric sells when?
- Summer (roughly March to June): cotton cambric, slub, mulmul, hakoba, light rayon.
- Monsoon: quick-drying fabrics such as crepe and rayon. Avoid heavy cotton that stays damp.
- Festive and wedding seasons: georgette, chanderi, embroidered and embellished kurtis and kurta sets. See our festive wholesale calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for kurtis, rayon or cotton?
Cotton breathes better and is easier to care for. Rayon is softer, drapes better and holds bright prints, but it can shrink if washed hot. Many resellers stock both: cotton for daily summer wear, rayon for printed styles.
What is the best fabric for summer kurtis?
Breathable cottons such as cambric, slub and mulmul, plus light rayon.
What is hakoba fabric?
Cotton with schiffli (machine) embroidery, often with small eyelet cut-outs. It is used for dressier summer kurtis.
Does rayon shrink?
It can, especially in hot water or a hot dryer. A cold, gentle wash and drying in the shade reduce it.
Find kurti suppliers
Browse kurti listings in Surat and fashion suppliers in Jaipur, or post your kurti requirement with the fabric, quantity and your city.
