What a gathering pant and a Punjabi pant are, how much fabric they need, and how to order a custom-fit pant farma.
The names of pant styles change from one region to another, and customers often ask for a Punjabi pant or a gathering pant without being sure which pattern they need. This guide explains what each term usually means and how to choose.
Gathering pant
A gathering pant has extra fabric that is gathered into the waistband or at the hem, rather than cut straight. The gathers give it a soft, full shape, and the pant is comfortable to wear and to move in. See our gathering pant paper pattern.
Punjabi pant
People use Punjabi pant for a loose, comfortable pant of the salwar family. The word covers several cuts, so check the style against a picture before you order. If you are unsure, see how the common pants differ in our churidar, salwar and patiala pant guide.
How they differ from a straight pant
A ladies straight pant follows the leg and uses less fabric. Gathered pants need more cloth, and the farma is wider at the waist or hem to allow for the gathers. Plan the fabric before you buy it.
Measurements to get right
- Waist and seat, because the pant has to go over the hips and sit at the waist.
- Length, measured over the footwear you will wear.
The measurement form lists exactly which ones to enter, and the measuring guide shows how to take them.
What you receive
A physical paper pattern, cut in Coimbatore to your own measurements and posted anywhere in India, with the seam allowance already on it. Browse the full set in the chudi and pant farma category.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gathering pant the same as a Punjabi pant?
Not always. Names vary by region, so choose by the shape you want.
Do I need extra fabric?
Usually yes, because of the gathers.
Related pattern: punjabi pant paper pattern.