What is Resham thread and what embroidery styles use it?

Resham is the Urdu/Hindi word for silk — in the context of embroidery, "resham" refers to silk thread used for hand or machine embroidery. It produces a soft, lustrous finish with a natural sheen that synthetic threads cannot replicate.

Embroidery styles using resham:

• Chikankari: White resham on white muslin — traditional Lucknow specialty, GI-tagged
• Kantha: Simple running stitch in bright resham threads — from West Bengal, geometric and narrative motifs
• Kashmiri resham embroidery: Dense, colorful floral patterns from Kashmir
• Phulkari: Bright resham embroidery on cotton — from Punjab, vibrant floral patterns

Machine resham embroidery is widely used in Surat wholesale catalogs — computerized machine embroidery on the yoke or border of kurtis and suits. It is the most common embellishment in wholesale garment catalogs, adding ₹100–₹400 per piece to cost.