Embroidery of Tamil Nadu has attained appreciation in the national and international market owing to its intricate work and exclusive designs.

Different communities residing in Tamil Nadu have mastered the art of creating different items applying their very own embroidery styles. The Todu community of Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu has surmounted the `pugur` style of embroidery work that displays their distinctive technique. The women folk of Tamil Nadu are engaged in creating exclusive shawls employing `pugur` embroidery. This type of embroidered shawl is called `poothkuli` in local language. The Toda artisans create the motifs of the buffalo horn including little box called `mettvi kanpugur`, `Izhadvinpuguti`, motifs that are named after wild flowers and a quaint motif named after a girl who slipped and fell off the cliff. Motifs featuring religious significance are also in demand. Images of various deities such as Ganesh, Durga, Kartikeya, Shiv and Parvati and of mythological birds and animals are highly used in this category. Sometimes the whole motif is cut out of a single piece of cloth. And sometimes different colours are used for body, clothes, wings, etc. These are expertly joined with fine stitching.

The Ari embroidery of Tamil Nadu is widely admired in the international market in Nigeria. The embroidered clothes decorated with `tikris` and beads are used by the women of Nigeria during ceremonial occasions. Sri Perumbpadur region of Tamil Nadu is noted for this embroidery work where it is done on sarees and handkerchiefs. This type of embroidery needs to use a frame of wooden beams. The fabric is worked upon with a long needle, threads, `tikris` and beads. Apart from these embroidery works, Tamil Nadu is also known for the `jaali` or net embroidery work. This type of embroidery work is done with geometric or floral patterns by pulling the warp and weft threads and fixing them with minute buttonhole stitches.

The embroidery work of Tamil Nadu has a wide range of variety that showcase the native style and technique of the artisans. The items prepared by the artisans have secured a good position in the international market and are appraised by the people of abroad.