Performance Assessment and Evaluation of Traditional Kantha HandEmbroidered Cotton, Silk, and Orange Peel Fabrics

Kantha embroidery, one of India's oldest traditional textile crafts, embodies sustainability through fabric reuse and culturalstorytelling. With its growing application in contemporary fashion, understanding its influence on fabric performance isessential. This study evaluates the physical, mechanical, and aesthetic properties of Kantha hand embroidery on cotton, silk,and regenerated orange peel fabrics to identify the most suitable fabric–yarn combination for apparel, particularly saris.A Shiv–Durga-inspired motif was developed and transferred using a perforation tracing technique. Nine embroideredsample combinations were produced using three base fabrics (cotton, silk, and orange peel) and three embroidery yarns(cotton, polyester, and viscose). Standard textile tests were conducted to evaluate fabric mass, tearing strength, abrasionresistance, absorbency, air permeability, drape coefficient, shrinkage, crease recovery, and bending stiffness. Data wereanalysed using Python (Pandas and NumPy) with statistical visualizations for validation.Hand embroidery significantly modified fabric performance. Fabric mass, stiffness, tearing strength, and abrasionresistance increased, while air permeability decreased due to stitch density. Shrinkage was reduced, indicating improveddimensional stability. Orange peel fabric retained higher air permeability and crease recovery, whereas cotton-basedembroidered fabrics demonstrated the best balance of strength, comfort, breathability, and aesthetic performance.Kantha embroidery enhances both the functional and aesthetic properties of textiles. Among the evaluated combinations,cotton-based hand embroidery exhibited the most balanced overall performance, making it the most suitable for sariapplications. The findings demonstrate the potential of traditional Kantha embroidery to support sustainable textileinnovation while preserving India's cultural heritage.