South Asia supplies 50%+ of global luxury embroidery

More than half of the embroidery used in global luxury ready-to-wear collections is now produced in South Asia, according to a new industry analysis. Zardozi ateliers in Mumbai, Chikankari clusters in Lucknow and high-precision machine embroidery lines in Bangladesh all feed the same luxury supply chains.

Where the work goes

• Italy — the single largest destination, importing ~$48M of regional hand embroidery for Milan fashion houses
• France — couture and accessories embellishment
• USA and UK — bridge-luxury and premium ready-to-wear

For Bangladesh's members, the takeaway is strategic: luxury buyers increasingly split orders between artisan hand-work and computerized precision embroidery — and certified, verifiable factories win those contracts.