Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fringed hem on a kameez: how is the fraying stopped?
A frayed hem on a kurta is made by pulling cross threads and holding the rest with a stitched line. Which weaves fringe well, and how the fringe wears in the wash.
InspirationHow the fringe is kept in check
A deliberate fringe is made by pulling out the cross threads along an edge, leaving a band of loose lengthwise threads, and it is stopped from travelling further by a line of stitching just above where the fringe begins. That stitched line is the whole secret: without it, a frayed hem keeps unravelling with every wear and wash. It works on loosely woven, straight-edged cloth such as khaddar, linen and handloom cotton.
Making a fringed edge
The depth is marked first, often 1 to 3 cm on a kameez hem and more on a dupatta end. A row of stitching goes along that line: a straight stitch, a small zigzag, or a hand hemstitch that gathers the threads into little bundles and looks decorative in its own right. Below it, the cross threads are teased out one at a time until only the fringe remains.
A softer version, the raw-edge hem, skips the pulling and simply leaves a cut edge to fray naturally down to the stay stitching over the first few washes. Either way, a fringe only forms neatly on an edge that follows a thread of the weave. A curved hem cuts across threads at a changing angle, so it frays into short, ragged ends; straight hems are the natural home for a fringe. Our straight hem page shows the shape.
Fabrics that fringe well, and those that do not
The looser and more even the weave, the better the fringe. On a printed fabric the colour often sits mainly on the surface, so the fringe threads can look paler than the face of the cloth; yarn-dyed and plain-dyed fabrics fringe in their full colour.
- Khaddar: coarse, loosely woven and the classic fringing cloth. See our khaddar guide.
- Linen: fringes crisply and softens with washing; see the linen guide.
- Slub and handloom cottons: the uneven yarns give a lively fringe.
- Cambric: fringes, but short and dense.
- Lawn and voile: the threads are so fine that the fringe looks wispy and tangles easily.
- Chiffon and georgette: fray into a messy, slippery edge, so a rolled hem or lace suits them better.
- Knits: do not fray at all, so they cannot be fringed this way.
Hems, sleeves and dupattas
Dupatta ends are the most common place for a fringe, sometimes twisted or knotted into small tassels; our dupatta finishing ideas show other edges too. On a kameez hem a short fringe looks relaxed and modern and swings as you walk. Sleeve fringes are pretty but catch on bags, buttons and kitchen counters, so keep them short.
How it wears in the wash
A fringe tangles more than it shortens. Wash on a gentle cycle in a laundry bag or by hand, then comb the threads straight with your fingers while they are still damp. Skip the tumble dryer, which knots fringes badly. Expect the fringe to become a little softer and fluffier over time, and snip off any stray long thread rather than pulling it. Our guide to washing machine settings for kurtas covers the rest.
To order one, say which edges you want fringed and how deep, and attach a photo if you have one. With custom stitching we confirm whether your fabric will fringe well in the written quote, and you can include the request when you ask for a quote.
Common questions
Will a fringed hem keep unravelling?
Not past the stitched line. If that line of stitching breaks, the fringe can start to creep, so restitch any gap as soon as you notice it.
Can lawn be fringed?
It can, but the fringe is short, fine and tangles easily. A picot edge, a narrow rolled hem or a lace trim usually looks neater on lawn.
Is a raw-edge hem the same as a fringe?
Close, but not quite. A raw edge is left to fray softly on its own down to a stay stitch, while a fringe has the cross threads pulled out on purpose to a set depth, so it looks more even from the start.
