Quick answer
The words you will hear most in Surat’s textile markets are catalogue (a set of designs sold together), MOQ (minimum order quantity), grey (unfinished fabric straight from the loom), taka (a roll of grey fabric), dalal (a broker), bilty or LR (the transporter’s receipt), gaanth (a packed bale) and pakka bill (a proper GST invoice). This glossary explains more than 60 common trade terms in plain English, grouped by buying, fabric, production, value addition and shipping.
Walk into any market on Surat’s Ring Road and you will hear a mix of Gujarati, Hindi, Marwari and English trade words. Traders use them so naturally that new buyers, and especially overseas buyers, can feel lost in the first conversation. This glossary explains the terms you are most likely to hear, so you can ask the right questions and understand exactly what you are buying.
Usage can vary slightly between markets and traders, so when a term matters for price or quantity, confirm what the seller means and write it on the proforma invoice.
Buying and Trade Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Catalogue | A set of designs from one collection sold together, for example 6 or 8 sarees in different designs. The usual way sarees, suits and kurtis are sold wholesale in Surat. |
| Set | Often used the same way as catalogue: the full group of designs or colours you must buy together. |
| Singles | Buying individual pieces from a catalogue instead of the full set. Some wholesalers allow it, usually at a higher rate. |
| MOQ | Minimum order quantity: the smallest order a seller accepts, counted in pieces, catalogues or metres. |
| Rate | The price per piece, per catalogue or per metre. Always ask whether it includes GST. |
| Net rate | The final price after any discount, usually before GST. |
| Lot | A batch of goods sold together, often surplus or end-of-season stock at a lower price. |
| Cut piece | A leftover length of fabric from a roll, sold cheaply by weight or by piece. |
| Fresh stock / new arrival | Newly launched designs, usually priced higher than older stock. |
| Repeat order | Ordering a design again after it sells; ask how long a repeat takes to produce. |
| Dalal | A broker who connects buyers and sellers and takes a commission. Common for outstation buyers. |
| Commission agent | An agent who buys on a buyer’s behalf, checks goods and arranges dispatch, for a commission. |
| Udhaar | Credit: goods supplied now and paid for later. Usually offered only to established buyers. |
| Advance | Payment made before dispatch; normal for new buyers. |
| Pakka bill | A proper GST tax invoice with GSTIN and HSN code. |
| Kachha bill | An informal estimate or slip, not a GST invoice. Always ask for a pakka bill. |
Fabric and Yarn Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grey (greige) | Unfinished fabric straight from the loom, before dyeing, printing or finishing. |
| Taka | A roll or piece of grey fabric as it comes off the loom; the length varies by quality and weaver. |
| Than | A full roll or bolt of finished fabric. |
| Running fabric | Fabric sold by the metre from a roll, rather than as cut sarees or suits. |
| Panna | The width of the fabric, usually given in inches. |
| GSM | Grams per square metre: a measure of fabric weight. Higher GSM usually means heavier fabric. |
| PTY | Polyester texturised yarn, widely used in Surat’s weaving. |
| POY | Partially oriented yarn: polyester yarn that is later texturised or drawn. |
| FDY | Fully drawn yarn: smooth polyester filament yarn, often used for shiny fabrics. |
| Viscose / rayon | A man-made fibre made from wood pulp, softer and more breathable than polyester. |
| Art silk | “Artificial silk”: viscose or polyester made to look like silk. Not pure silk. |
| Georgette | A light, crinkled, flowing fabric, very common for sarees. |
| Chiffon | A very light, sheer fabric, finer than georgette. |
| Crepe | A fabric with a grainy, textured surface that drapes well. |
| Satin | A smooth fabric with a glossy front and dull back. |
| Organza | A thin, stiff, sheer fabric used for sarees, dupattas and overlays. |
| Net | An open mesh fabric, often used with embroidery for lehengas and dupattas. |
Production Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Powerloom | A mechanised loom; Surat has a very large powerloom weaving sector. |
| Water-jet loom | A fast loom that uses a jet of water to carry the yarn, common for synthetic fabric. |
| Air-jet loom | A high-speed loom that uses air to carry the yarn. |
| Rapier loom | A loom that carries the yarn with a rod or tape; flexible for different designs. |
| Texturising | Processing filament yarn to add bulk and stretch, turning POY into PTY. |
| Processing house / mill | A unit that dyes, prints and finishes grey fabric. |
| Job work | Processing done on someone else’s goods for a charge, such as dyeing, printing or embroidery. |
| Dyeing | Colouring fabric in a single shade. |
| Digital print | Printing designs directly from a computer onto fabric; good for detailed designs and small runs. |
| Rotary print | Printing with rotating cylinders; economical for large runs of one design. |
| Foil print | A metallic finish pressed onto fabric for shine. |
Value Addition and Product Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Embroidery (computerised) | Machine embroidery on multi-head machines, the main type in Surat. |
| Hand work | Embroidery or embellishment done by hand; slower and more expensive. |
| Zari | Metallic thread (gold or silver coloured) used in weaving and embroidery. |
| Sequins | Small shiny discs stitched onto fabric. |
| Stone work | Decorative stones fixed onto fabric, by hand or machine. |
| Lace | A decorative border or trim, often sewn onto saree edges. |
| Border | The decorative edge of a saree or dupatta. |
| Pallu | The decorated end of a saree that falls over the shoulder. |
| Blouse piece | Matching fabric supplied with a saree for stitching the blouse. |
| Dress material | An unstitched suit set, usually top, bottom and dupatta fabric. |
| Semi-stitched | Partly stitched, so the buyer only needs final fitting. |
| Bandhani | Tie-and-dye patterns of small dots; also imitated in prints. |
Packing, Paperwork and Shipping Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gaanth | A packed and stitched bale of goods ready for transport. |
| Parcel | Any packed unit booked with a transporter: a bale, carton or bundle. |
| Box packing | Individual boxes for each piece, common for premium sarees and gifting. |
| Bilty / LR | Lorry receipt: the transporter’s receipt with the LR number used to track and collect goods. |
| Booking office | A transporter’s office where parcels are booked for a destination. |
| Hamali | Loading and unloading charges. |
| Godown | A warehouse; the transporter’s destination godown is where buyers collect goods. |
| Part load | Goods sharing a truck with other traders’ parcels, charged by weight or parcel. |
| Full load | A whole truck booked for one consignment. |
| Delivery challan | A document that accompanies goods moved without a sale invoice, for example to a job worker. |
| GSTIN | The 15-digit GST registration number of a business. |
| HSN code | The product classification code on a GST invoice, which decides the GST rate. |
| E-way bill | An online document generally needed to move goods to another state when the consignment value is above ₹50,000. |
How to Use These Terms When Buying
- Ask for the rate, MOQ and catalogue size in the same message, and whether singles are allowed.
- For fabric, ask for the GSM, panna and fibre, and request a sample before a bulk order.
- Insist on a pakka bill with GSTIN and HSN code, and get the bilty (LR) number as soon as goods are booked.
- If you use a dalal or agent, agree the commission in writing before buying.
New to Surat? Start with our Surat Textile Market Sourcing Guide, check rates in the GST on textiles guide, and plan dispatch with how to send textile parcels from Surat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a catalogue in the Surat textile market?
A catalogue is a set of designs from one collection that wholesalers sell together, for example 6 or 8 sarees in different designs. Most Surat saree, suit and kurti wholesalers sell by catalogue rather than single pieces.
What does grey fabric mean?
Grey (or greige) fabric is unfinished fabric straight from the loom, before dyeing, printing or finishing. Surat’s weavers sell grey fabric to processing houses, which turn it into finished fabric.
What is a taka in Surat?
A taka is a roll or piece of grey fabric as it comes off the loom. Its length varies by fabric quality and weaver, so always confirm the metres per taka.
What is a bilty or LR?
A bilty, or lorry receipt (LR), is the receipt a transporter issues when it accepts your goods. It carries the LR number used to track the parcel, and the buyer usually needs it to collect the goods.
What is the difference between a pakka bill and a kachha bill?
A pakka bill is a proper GST tax invoice with the seller’s GSTIN and HSN code. A kachha bill is an informal slip or estimate, not a valid GST invoice. Always ask for a pakka bill.
What is a dalal in the textile market?
A dalal is a broker who connects buyers and sellers and takes a commission. Agree the commission and responsibilities in writing before you buy through one.
Put the Terms to Use
Browse Surat textile markets, check any HSN code in the GST & HSN finder, or find a transporter with the Transporter Finder.
Are you a Surat trader? List your business free, or let BizTorq build your wholesale website with catalogue-wise selling, MOQ rules and WhatsApp ordering.
