Kapda

Kapda is a Hindi term meaning cloth or fabric. It is widely used across the Hindi-Urdu speaking region and in many other languages of the Indian subcontinent to refer to textiles, clothing, or the raw material used to make garments. The word is closely related to kapra in Urdu and has cognates in several Indo-Aryan languages. Etymologically, it traces to ancient Indo-Aryan roots for fabric in historical linguistic traditions.

In everyday use, kapda denotes any textile material, including cotton, silk, wool, or synthetic fibers. The plural form kapde is common for referring to clothes or fabrics in general. Phrases such as naya kapda (new clothes) or kapde badalna (changing clothes) illustrate its frequent, practical usage.

Textile production and trade: The kapda economy encompasses farming and processing of natural fibers (like cotton, wool, and silk) as well as the manufacture of fabrics and garments. The textile and apparel sector is a major industry in the region, featuring traditional handloom fabrics (such as khadi and regional weaves) alongside modern synthetic textiles.

Cultural role: Clothing and textiles are central to South Asian culture, with regional styles, festive attire, and daily wear reflecting a wide variety of kapda materials and weaving traditions. The term appears across literature, media, and speech as a common reference to clothes and textiles.

See also: Textile industry, Clothing, Khadi, Saree, Dhoti, Kurta.