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A few decades ago, textile brands like Reliance, Bombay Dyeing, Century advertised extensively and people flocked to their stores to purchase polyester, cotton and other fabrics. Most people were wearing tailor stitched clothes. With the development of lycra, and stretchable fabric blends clothes can be worn by a larger range of people without much customization. Today while local garment shops may advertise in small town newspapers, there is little national advertising of fabrics. The Liva range of fabrics from a major textile manufacturer was the last textile brand which was advertised in national newspapers.

For women and men who find that only a limited range of ready made clothes, home furnishings are available, and often too expensive for their limited budget, purchasing the textiles from the various textile shops can be a cost effective and better option as the clothes can then be designed to flatter their figure. Unlike other information available on other subjects on the internet, there is very little information available on textiles and fabrics online, though India is one of the largest exporters of garments in the world

Though cotton fabric is popular, it is expensive and gets crumpled easily. So if a person wants to purchase clothes which require less maintenance and can be used 10 years later without any problem, they should consider purchasing some clothes made from synthetic materials. While cotton fabric will tear after 4-5 years, the synthetic material will last for 10 years or more, and will look like new, if it is not used daily. The additional advantage of using this fabric is that it will dry quickly during monsoon, if a person becomes wet, ideal for those who walk a lot.

A decade ago, a complete set of fabric would cost approximately Rs 150, and included material for the dupatta, kurti, and salwar. However, the it should be noted that it is difficult to stitch the fabric at home, especially if the person is not a skilled tailor. It is better to outsource tailoring to an experience tailor who has the tools for stitching clothes of different fabrics.