Nakshi kantha is one of Bangladesh's most loved crafts — soft, hand-stitched quilts and throws made stitch by stitch by local artisans. I'm a personal shopper in Dhaka: I go to the markets myself, hand-pick a genuine piece, send you photos before I buy, and ship it safely to your door. Marketplaces show you a photo and hope for the best — I check the real thing in person for you.
Nakshi kantha (নকশি কাঁথা) is a traditional Bangladeshi embroidered quilt, made by layering soft cotton cloth and stitching it together by hand with simple running stitches. "Nakshi" means decorated with patterns, and the designs often tell little stories — flowers, birds, the sun, everyday village life — sewn from memory by women across rural Bangladesh. It's warm in winter, light in summer, and gets softer every year you use it.
Because each kantha is sewn by hand, no two are ever exactly the same. That's the whole charm of it — and also why buying online from far away can be risky. A photo can't show you the texture, the weight of the cotton, or whether the stitching is genuine handwork. That's where I come in.
When you search for nakshi kantha to buy from abroad, almost every result is either a marketplace listing, a local Bangladeshi store that only delivers inside the country, or a wholesale exporter who wants a bulk order. You're trusting a single photo, with no way to check the piece before it ships and no one to ask "is this one actually hand-stitched?"
I work differently. You tell me what you want; I go to the artisan markets in Dhaka, look at real pieces in my hands, check the stitching, and send you clear photos — front, back, and close-ups — before you pay a taka. You pick the one you love, I buy it at the real market price, and I ship it carefully to your door. You see the product cost, my flat fee, packaging, and shipping all listed separately — never a hidden markup.
Looking for something else handmade? See my gifts from Bangladesh page, or just ask — I'll tell you honestly if I can find it.
A genuine hand-stitched kantha and a machine-made or printed copy can look similar in a photo but feel completely different in your hands. Before I buy, and before I ship, I check:
The same honesty applies to my real-vs-machine Jamdani guide — if you care about authenticity, that's worth a read too.
Kantha is textile — light, soft, and hard to damage — so it ships affordably and arrives well. I fold it carefully, wrap it against moisture, and send it with full tracking.
| Carrier | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DHL / FedEx / UPS Express | 5-10 days | Most orders, gifts with a deadline |
| Bangladesh Post EMS | 10-20 days | Non-urgent orders, to save on cost |
Because it's fabric, most kantha orders stay well within personal-use customs limits — but rules differ by destination. Check your country: USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe, Middle East. For how duty works in general, see my 2026 customs duty guide.
See the full process on my How It Works page.
You always get an itemized quote with nothing added later: the real market price of the kantha, my flat service fee, packaging, and the courier cost — each shown separately. The price of the kantha itself depends on its size and how fine the handwork is, so a simple cotton throw and a large finely-embroidered quilt won't cost the same. Tell me what you're after and I'll send a free, no-obligation quote within 24 hours. No upfront fee, no surprises.
Yes. Tell me what you're looking for — a bed-size quilt, a throw or runner, a baby kantha, colours, or a photo of a style you like. I go to the markets and artisan shops in Dhaka in person, hand-pick a genuine hand-stitched piece, send you clear photos before I buy, and then ship it to your door with full tracking. You see the real price plus a clear, separate service fee before you pay anything.
A genuine nakshi kantha is hand-stitched, so the running stitches are slightly uneven and the back shows the same threadwork as the front, with tiny knots and small natural variations no two pieces share. Machine-made or screen-printed copies look perfectly regular and identical. I check these details in person, photograph the front, back and stitching close-up for you before purchase, and tell you honestly what tier of piece it is — everyday cotton kantha, fine embroidered work, or vintage-style.
Bed-size kantha quilts, lightweight kantha throws and bedspreads, table runners and cushion covers, baby and crib kantha, and kantha-stitch sarees, dupattas and scarves. I can look for specific colours, sizes, or a design close to a photo you send. If you want a particular regional or artisan style, tell me and I'll do my best to find it.
Kantha is textile, so it's light and hard to damage, which keeps shipping affordable. I fold it carefully, wrap it in protective plastic against moisture, and ship by DHL, FedEx, UPS or EMS with full tracking — usually 5 to 12 days depending on your country. Because it's fabric, most orders stay well within personal-use customs limits, but you can check your destination guide for duty thresholds.
You always get an itemized quote: the real market price of the kantha, my flat service fee, packaging, and the courier cost, each listed separately so there are no surprises. The price of the kantha itself depends on size and how fine the handwork is. Send me what you're after and I'll get you a free, no-obligation quote within 24 hours.
Tell me the size, colours, or style you're after — I'll find real hand-stitched pieces, send you photos to choose from, and give you a free quote within 24 hours. No upfront payment, and you see exactly what you're getting before it ships.