Lace or border? What each word means on a suit

Four words and how they are usually used

None of these has a strict trade definition in everyday selling, but these are the common meanings.

• Lace: in English, an openwork textile such as net-based lace or guipure. In Pakistani shops the word often stretches to cover any ready-made trim sold by the metre, including embroidered organza strips with no openwork at all.
• Border: a band of decoration along an edge. Unstitched suits often come with separate border pieces for the daman, sleeves or trousers, and printed or woven fabrics may have a border built into the cloth.
• Kinari: from the Urdu and Hindi word for edge. It usually means a narrow edging that finishes the very rim of a dupatta, sleeve or hem, often a slim metallic or embroidered trim.
• Patti: literally a strip or band. Used for a separate strip of embroidery or fabric sewn on, as in a gala patti at the neck or a daman patti at the hem. A lace patti is simply a lace strip.

Why one trim ends up with two names

Picture a strip of embroidered organza about 8 cm (3 inches) wide, sold by the metre. A shop might label it lace because that is how trims are sold. A tailor might call it a daman patti because of where it goes. Once it is on the hem, you might call it the border. All three are describing the same strip.

Translation adds another layer. A customer writing in English, a seller labelling in English for export and a craftsperson thinking in Urdu or Punjabi may each choose a different word. None of them is wrong, which is exactly why a single word is not a reliable brief.

Describe the trim instead of naming it

A plain description removes the guesswork. Cover these points and the name stops mattering:

• Open or solid: can you see through it between the motifs?
• Base: net, organza, cotton, chiffon or thread alone.
• Width: in centimetres or inches, measured across the band.
• Edge: straight, scalloped, pointed or fringed.
• Colour and finish: matching, contrast, metallic, matt.
• Placement: right at the edge, set a little above it, or along a seam.

Putting it in your quote

A sentence such as “a 5 cm scalloped net lace in ivory, sewn at the very edge of the sleeves and daman” tells us more than any single word. Add a photo whenever you have one. Lace and borders are added only to outfits we stitch, so ask for them as part of the design through custom embroidery and trims. If your unstitched suit arrives with its own border pieces, mention them when you ask about Stitching Only and say where you would like each one; we confirm the plan in your written quote.

The lace and border guide shows where trims tend to sit, and the glossary explains other terms. When you are ready, ask for a Stitching Only quote or a new design.