Is it embroidered or printed? How to tell from a photo

Signs in the photo

Zoom in as far as the image allows and check these in turn.

• Shadow: look at the edge of a motif. Real stitches have a fine dark line on one side where they rise from the fabric. A print may include painted shadows, but they fall the same way in every photo, whatever the lighting.
• Sheen: embroidery thread reflects light along its length, so a petal stitched in two directions shows two tones of the same colour. Printed petals are one flat tone, or have a highlight that looks airbrushed.
• The weave: on a print, the grid of the fabric is visible through the motif. On stitching, the thread covers it.
• Folds and drape: embroidered areas are firmer, so the fabric bends round them and dense parts stand slightly proud. A print creases and flows exactly like the plain cloth beside it.
• Small irregularities: stitched work has a loose end here, a slightly uneven edge there. A print repeats with perfect sameness.
• Seams: printed patterns often run uninterrupted into seams and hems, while embroidery is usually placed to stop short of them.

Ask for the reverse

The back settles it. Real embroidery shows on the reverse as lines of under-thread, often white, sometimes with a paper-like backing and trimmed thread ends. A print shows a faint ghost of the colour or nothing at all. If a listing has no photo of the inside, ask the seller for one, along with a close-up taken at an angle in daylight. A seller with stitched work is normally glad to show it.

Listing wording to look for

Descriptions often tell the truth in small words. Our guide to printed and embroidered unstitched suits compares the two kinds of suit, and how to tell good quality embroidery takes over once you know the stitching is real.

• Digital print embroidery look, embroidery print, printed embroidery effect fabric: all mean a print.
• Embroidered front, printed back and sleeves: common on lawn suits. Only the piece named as embroidered is stitched.
• Embroidered neckline or embroidered patch: stitched work on one small area; the rest of the shirt may be printed to match.
• Embroidered dupatta or printed dupatta: check each piece of a three-piece suit separately.
• Embellished print: a print with some stitched highlights on top, a mix of both.

Why it matters

Stitching adds weight, warmth and a reverse side that may need lining. It needs gentler washing, and it changes how a tailor cuts the piece. A print adds none of that, so it is cooler in summer and simple to care for. For a daily lawn suit, the printed version of an embroidered look can be the more practical choice. For an Eid outfit where you want texture that shows in person, you want thread. Our article on print methods explains how digital prints are made.

If the photo is your reference

When you send us a picture of an outfit to recreate, say whether you want the pattern stitched. If the original turns out to be a print, the same look in thread is a different amount of work, and we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design in the written quote. If you are sending your own suit for stitching, photograph every piece, front and reverse, so we can see what is embroidered. See custom embroidery and send your photos through the Send Your Design form.