Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read
Pleats vs gathers (chunnat): what is the difference?
Pleats vs gathers: pleats are neat folds stitched in one direction; gathers, or chunnat, are many soft folds drawn up on a thread. Where each suits a kameez.
InspirationBoth add fullness, in different ways
Pleats and gathers both take a wide piece of fabric into a narrower seam, so the garment is full below and fitted above. Pleats are deliberate folds, each laid in a set direction and stitched at the top, so they look orderly and crisp. Gathers, which tailors in Pakistan call chunnat, are made by drawing the fabric up on a long thread into many small, irregular folds, so they look soft and rounded.
Chunnat is also used for crinkled fabric, such as a crushed chunnat dupatta. In a stitching note, though, it normally means gathers.
Pleats
A pleat is a fold of fabric, held at one end and left to open below. The main kinds are knife pleats, all facing one way; box pleats, two folds turned away from each other; and inverted box pleats, the same folds turned towards each other so they meet at the front. Pleats can be pressed sharp along their length or left soft so they only fall into folds.
Fully pleated fabric uses a lot of cloth, often around three times the finished width. A few pleats placed at a yoke or waist use far less and still add movement.
Gathers, or chunnat
Gathers are made by sewing one or two rows of long stitches along the edge, pulling the threads until the fabric fits the seam, spreading the folds evenly and stitching them in. They usually take one and a half to two and a half times the finished width. The look is soft and slightly puffed, and it suits light cloth that falls into small folds of its own accord.
How each looks at a yoke, sleeve or waist
The same place on a garment can take either, and the choice changes the character of the outfit.
- Under a yoke: gathers give a soft, easy front; pleats give a neater, more tailored one. Our guide to yoke and panel designs shows where yokes sit.
- At the sleeve head: gathers make a puffed shoulder; two or three small pleats lift the shoulder with a more structured outline.
- At a waist seam: a kalidar frock gets its swing from many panels, but a frock with a waist seam often has gathers or pleats there. Gathers add more volume at the waist itself.
- In trousers: a shalwar is gathered at the waist on its drawstring, while palazzo trousers often have a few pleats at the front, which lie flatter over the tummy.
Which fabrics suit each
Crisp and medium-weight fabrics hold a pleat well: cambric, cotton, linen and raw silk. Soft, light fabrics gather beautifully: lawn, voile, chiffon and georgette. Very thick cloth, such as karandi or velvet, makes bulky gathers, so a few soft pleats or a plain panel usually suits it better.
Name the one you want and where in your notes, ideally with a photo. Your choices are confirmed in the written quote; the custom stitching page explains how, and you can request a quote when your design is ready.
Common questions
Do gathers make the waist look bigger?
They add some volume right at the seam, more so in thicker fabrics. Pleats, or gathers kept to the front only, look flatter.
Which is easier to iron, pleats or gathers?
Gathers, as you only press the flat area below them. Pressed pleats need each fold laid back in place, while soft unpressed pleats only need a light steam.
Can lawn be pleated?
Yes, though it creases easily, so soft pleats suit it better than sharp ones. Crisp pleats last longer in cambric or cotton.
