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Delhi's fabric markets are a large part of why people come here to get clothes made. Between them they cover nearly everything: bridal silks and zari in the old city, everyday suit and dupatta material in the neighbourhood markets, and cheap export-surplus cloth further out. The difficulty is not finding fabric. It is knowing which market to go to for what you need, so you spend one day there, not three.
Which market for what
| Market | Known for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Chandni Chowk (Katra Neel and the cloth market) | Silks, bridal fabric, sarees, lehengas, and a huge range of everyday cloth from cotton and crepe to linen and chanderi | Busy, and mixes retail with wholesale. Go with a clear list |
| Kinari Bazaar | Zari, laces, borders, trims and the accessories that finish bridal and festive outfits | Buy trims here after you have chosen your main fabric, so the colours match |
| Karol Bagh | Zari work, handloom fabrics, cotton prints and lighter summer cloth | Sits between retail and wholesale, which makes it easier for smaller buyers |
| Lajpat Nagar | Ethnic wear and fabrics, including suit material and dupattas | A good one-stop trip when you also want readymade pieces |
| Sarojini Nagar | Export-surplus clothing and budget fashion | Better for readymade pieces than for cloth by the metre |
| Gandhi Nagar | Wholesale readymade garments | Mainly a wholesale market, so it suits buyers who want quantity |
Fabric shops listed on Groovyn, by area
These are the areas with the most fabric shops listed on Groovyn today. Each link goes to the shops in that area, with their address and contact details.
Fabric shops by area
Fabric shops with the best Google ratings
Chanchal Boutique Collection & Fabric
Rohini
- Fabric Retail
- Embellished Fabric
Starting from
from ₹100
Shops are ordered by Google rating adjusted for how many reviews each has, and only a few of our fabric shops have a Google rating so far, so treat the list as a starting point and not a verdict. Shops cannot pay to move up.
How much fabric does a garment need?
Always ask your tailor before you buy, because the amount depends on the fabric's width, the style and your size. As a rough guide:
| Garment | Approximate fabric | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blouse | About 1 metre | More for puffed sleeves, long sleeves or a larger bust |
| Men's shirt | 2 to 2.5 metres | Depends on the fabric width and sleeve length |
| Trousers | 1.25 to 1.5 metres | For wide (about 58 inch) suiting |
| Two-piece suit | About 3 to 3.5 metres | For wide suiting. A third piece needs more |
| Men's kurta | About 2.5 metres | More for a long kurta or a wide flare |
How to shop a fabric market
- Make a list first. The garment, the fabric type, the colour, the width and the number of metres. Without it, a market is overwhelming.
- Go on a weekday and early. The busiest days are slower and less pleasant to shop in, and you can compare properly when shops are not crowded.
- Compare at least three shops before you buy, and see the same fabric in daylight.
- Check the cloth itself. Hold it up to the light to judge how dense the weave is, crush a corner in your fist to see how it creases, and run it along its full length for flaws, pulls and faded patches.
- Ask what it is made of. Pure silk, a blend and a synthetic look similar and are priced very differently. Ask, and ask for it on the bill.
- Watch it being measured. Make sure the length cut matches the length you are billed for.
- Ask about the width. Fabric comes in different widths, and a cheaper price per metre can mean you need more metres.
- Keep the bill. You will want it for the tailor's receipt, for any return, and to remember what you paid.
- Wash-test cotton and linen if the tailor recommends pre-washing, so the garment does not shrink after it is stitched.
After the fabric: the tailor
A market trip is only half the job. Once you have the cloth, you need someone to cut it well, and it helps to choose that tailor before you buy, so they can tell you what to buy. Our guide to choosing a tailor in Delhi sets out the checks, and tailoring charges in Delhi shows what stitching typically costs. If your fabric is for a lehenga, see readymade, semi-stitched or custom lehenga.
Find fabric shops in Delhi
Suiting, silks, shirting and lehenga fabric, listed by market so you can plan one trip.
Browse fabric shopsFrequently asked questions
Which is the best fabric market in Delhi?
It depends on what you need. Chandni Chowk suits silks, bridal fabric and the widest choice, Kinari Bazaar is for zari, laces and trims, Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar suit everyday suit material and dupattas, and Sarojini Nagar and Gandhi Nagar are better for budget readymade clothing.
Where can I buy bridal fabric and lehenga material in Delhi?
Chandni Chowk is best known for bridal fabric, silks and lehenga material, and Kinari Bazaar nearby is where you buy the zari, borders and trims to finish it. Bring your measurements and a clear idea of the design, and compare several shops.
How much fabric do I need for a blouse or a suit?
Roughly a metre for a blouse, two to two and a half metres for a men's shirt, and about three to three and a half metres for a two-piece suit in wide suiting. The exact amount depends on the fabric's width, the style and your size, so ask your tailor before you buy.
Can I bargain in Delhi's fabric markets?
Yes, in most of them. Compare prices at three shops, be polite and clear about the quantity you want, and do not bargain until you are sure of the fabric and the width. Ask for the fabric content on the bill.
Are Delhi's fabric markets open every day?
Not all of them. Closing days and hours differ between markets and between individual shops, so check before you travel. Where we have a shop's opening hours, they are shown on its Groovyn listing.