What is pico (peeko) on a dupatta?

Pico, rolled hem and overlock side by side

All three stop fraying. They differ in how much you see, how the dupatta hangs afterwards and how the edge copes with the wash.

• Pico: the narrowest of the three, usually a millimetre or two of dense stitching. It adds almost no weight, so a light dupatta still floats. The thread is on show, which makes thread colour part of the look.
• Rolled hem: the edge is turned over twice and held with a line of straight stitching, or rolled and sewn by hand on fine chiffon and silk. It is a little wider and softer than pico, with cloth instead of thread at the very edge.
• Overlocked edge: loops of thread wrap round the raw edge. It is quick and hard-wearing, but wider and more visible, and unless it is very fine it can look like the inside of a garment turned outwards.

Why the names get mixed up

Tailors do not all use these words the same way. A narrow rolled edge made on an overlocker, sometimes called a baby-lock edge, looks very like pico, and some shops call both by the same name. A wider zigzag over a flat, unrolled edge may also be sold as pico. If the look matters to you, a close-up photo of an edge you like is more reliable than the word.

Which fabrics take pico well

Pico needs threads to grip and a fabric fine enough to roll.

• Chiffon and georgette: the classic case. The edge stays light and the fabric keeps its movement; see our chiffon guide.
• Lawn, voile and fine cotton: these take it cleanly and wash well.
• Organza: it works, though the crisp cloth can ripple into a slight wave if it is stretched as it is sewn.
• Net: open mesh gives the stitches little to hold, so lace or a bound edge is usually the safer choice.
• Khaddar, karandi and other thick cloths: too bulky to roll finely. A turned hem or a fringe suits them better.

How it wears, and what to ask for

A well-made pico edge lasts through years of ordinary washing. Its weak point is a snag: if a stitch catches on jewellery or a zip and breaks, the thread can run and a stretch of edge comes loose, so mend a pulled thread early. Sparse stitching also frays through sooner than dense stitching, which is worth a look when you check any finished dupatta.

When a dupatta is part of a suit we are stitching for you, write the edge you want in the design notes: pico or a rolled hem, thread to match the dupatta or to pick up a colour from the kameez, and whether all four sides need doing or only the two cut ends. Our article on whether a dupatta needs stitching at all explains how to tell. Ask for it when you request a Stitching Only quote, and we confirm what is possible on your fabric before anything is cut. The unstitched suit stitching page sets out the rest of the process.