How crochet lace and embroidered linen are made
Crochet lace is made with a fine hook and mercerised cotton thread. A large piece such as a tablecloth or bedspread is built from many small motifs, each crocheted by hand, often by women working at home, then joined into the final layout. The finished piece is washed, starched and blocked: pinned out wet on a board so it dries to the right size and shape.
Narasapur Crochet Lace Products is a registered geographical indication for Andhra Pradesh (GI application 713, certificate dated 1 March 2024, registered in classes 24, 25 and 26). EPCH reports exports of ₹4,289.20 crore in FY2025-26 for its "embroidered and crocheted goods" product group, based on DGCI&S data; the group also covers embroidery for décor and other uses.
Embroidered home textiles start as cut and hemmed tablecloths, napkins, pillowcases or cushion panels. The design is traced on, then stitched by hand or with an aari hook. Cutwork removes fabric inside stitched outlines; drawn-thread work pulls out yarns and binds the rest into patterns. Decorative wall hangings, torans and beaded pieces are covered separately under embroidered and beaded textile décor.
What we check on lace and embroidered linen
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Size and shape | Laid flat without stretching; rounds on two diameters, rectangles on sides and diagonals | Pieces that were not blocked, or were blocked out of square; sizes outside the hand-work tolerance |
| Motif count and layout | Motifs counted against the design; layout compared with the approved sample | Missing motifs, a motif turned the wrong way |
| Joins | Every join between motifs looked at against the light and pulled gently | Open joins, holes, joins made with a different thread |
| Thread shade | Whole piece in daylight and a light box; white, ivory and ecru compared with the sample | Patchy shade where motifs came from different thread lots |
| Thread ends | Back of lace and embroidery checked | Long loose ends, knots that will pull through |
| Stains and marks | Both faces in daylight | Oil, tea and hand marks; rust spots from blocking pins; tracing lines left on embroidery |
| Starch | Handled for stiffness; checked for white residue | Flaking starch, stiffness well beyond the sample |
| Embroidery | Stitch density, colours and placement against the sample; fabric checked for puckering | Sparse or missing areas, puckered base cloth, misplaced motifs |
| Cutwork and drawn thread | Cut edges checked for buttonhole stitch cover; drawn-thread bars pulled lightly | Raw edges that fray, broken bars, holes larger than designed |
Common crochet lace and embroidered home textile defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Pin or needle left in the goods | Blocking pins or embroidery needles not removed | Critical |
| Rust spots | Plain steel pins used to block wet lace | Major |
| Open joins or holes | Join skipped or thread broken | Major |
| Patchy shade across motifs | Motifs crocheted from different thread lots | Major |
| Fraying cutwork | Fabric cut too close to the stitching | Major |
| Visible stains or tracing lines | Home handling, unwashed marks | Major or minor by size and position |
| Small stitch irregularity, short loose end | Hand work | Minor, within the agreed tolerance |
Write down which variations are accepted as hand work, with photos, before production.
Labels, claims and rules
- Fibre labels. Crochet lace and embroidered linen are textile products. In the US, the Textile Act label gives fibre, origin and the dealer; in the EU, Regulation 1007/2011 applies. Where embroidery thread differs in fibre from the base cloth, agree with your compliance adviser how it is shown. See EU textile labelling.
- The GI name. The Narasapur Crochet Lace Products GI protects that name for lace from the registered area in India. If you market lace under that name, ask the supplier how it ties its goods to the registered area and its authorised users.
- "Handmade". A handmade claim should be true for the whole piece. Machine-made lace and machine embroidery are cheaper and look similar from a distance; the inspector records how the goods were made.
- Dyes and starch. Coloured threads and finishes fall under the same restricted-substance rules as other textiles; see azo dyes and restricted substances.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
Lace is light and easily distorted. Pieces are packed flat or folded loosely along agreed lines with tissue between layers, never pinned, and sealed in bags against dust. White and ivory lace yellows if packed in contact with acidic cardboard or stored damp; ask for acid-free tissue on premium orders. The inspector checks fold lines do not run through raised motifs, that bags are clean and closed, and that cartons are dry.
- Thread type and count, and one thread lot per order, or per piece at least.
- Finished sizes after blocking, with the hand-work tolerance.
- Motif design, count and layout, with a signed-off sample.
- Starch level, washing before packing, and stainless or brass pins for blocking.
- For embroidery: base cloth, thread colours, stitch density and placement.
- Labels, fold method, interleaving and pack type.
Plain table linen is on table linen, and embroidered cushion covers on cushion covers and cushions.