Indian trade embroideries were luxury textiles designed to appeal to the tastes of consumers abroad. Merging elements of both European and Indian aesthetics, Indian trade embroideries for Britain were imported from the 17th to the 19th century and used in both furnishings and dress. This fabric’s design mimics heavy English crewel work, but the extremely fine silk chain-stitching is characteristic of Gujarat. It would have been used as furnishing fabric, possibly as part of a set of bed-hangings.