Photograph — A craftswoman embroidering Nakshi Kantha. Source image unavailable; caption preserved.
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Embroidery & Needlecraft · West Bengal
Nakshi Kantha
A traditional Bengali embroidered quilt or textile, stitched in dense running patterns depicting flora, fauna and everyday village life.
GI status: GI-registered, 2008
Shelf life: Indefinite
Women-led sector
| Category | Embroidery & Needlecraft |
|---|---|
| Region | West Bengal |
| GI status | GI-registered, 2008 |
| Typical shelf life | Indefinite |
| Women's role in production | A running-stitch quilting and embroidery tradition historically practised by rural Bengali women repurposing old cotton saris into layered quilts and covers, now a major women's SHG livelihood craft across Bengal. |
Why this fits a low-wastage SHG model: A finished, durable textile product with no spoilage risk and one of the largest women-SHG craft economies in eastern India.
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