The short answer
In everyday English, a burqa usually means a garment that covers the whole body and the face, with a mesh or grille panel over the eye area so the wearer can see out. That description fits the garment most often photographed in news coverage, the Afghan chadari. But the word burqa, sometimes spelled burka or burkha, is used for several different regional garments, and in some regions it refers only to a face covering. The same word can mean quite different things to two customers.
As with every garment in this category, practice varies between people, families, communities, regions and schools of thought. A store does not need to explain why anyone wears a burqa. It needs to describe the garment it is selling precisely enough that the customer receives what they expected.
One word, several garments
The table below sets out the meanings buyers and customers most often have in mind. Use it to decide which term to put in your product title and which to put in the description.
| What the customer may mean | Where the usage is common | What the garment is |
|---|---|---|
| Chadari | Commonly associated with Afghanistan | Full-length garment from a fitted crown, with a mesh panel over the eyes |
| Burqa as an outer coat | Common usage in parts of South Asia | A loose outer garment, usually worn with a headscarf and a separate face veil |
| Burqa as a face covering | Used in some Gulf communities | A face covering rather than a full-body garment |
| Burqa in loose English usage | Search engines, news, general retail | Any garment that covers the face, often confused with the niqab |
Because of this spread, many stores add a plain description to the word: for example, burqa with mesh eye panel, full length. The hijab, niqab and burqa differences guide compares the three most searched terms side by side.
The chadari: construction
The garment most people picture when they hear the word is built around a fitted cap or crown that sits on the head. From that crown, a large amount of fabric falls in fine pleats to around the ankles, front and back. At the front, a rectangular panel of mesh or open embroidery sits over the eye area. The front section is often shorter than the back. Some versions have decorative stitching around the mesh panel and along the crown.
From a sourcing point of view, three areas decide quality. The crown has to fit a range of head sizes without slipping, so its circumference and any stretch or lining are written on the spec sheet. The mesh panel has to be evenly worked and firmly attached, because it carries strain every time the garment is put on. And the pleating has to be consistent from piece to piece, which takes a workshop with experience of the style.
The outer-coat burqa
In parts of South Asia, the word is commonly used for a loose, long outer garment worn over clothing, closer in construction to an abaya or long coat. It is often worn with a headscarf and a separate niqab. Some versions come as a set, with the coat, a headpiece and a face veil sold together. When a customer from this background searches for a burqa, a mesh-panel chadari is not what they expect to receive, which is why the description on the page matters so much.
Fabrics
Full-length garments use a lot of fabric, so weight and drape decide comfort. Light woven polyester is common for chadari-style garments because it holds pleats and is easy to care for. Matte crepes, including the trade-named nida and medina silk, are widely used for outer-coat styles and for matching face veils. Chiffon appears on lighter layers. Whatever the fabric, the label gives fiber content by generic name and percentage, country of origin and care instructions. Read the fabric guide for how these fabrics behave.
How it is put on
A chadari is put on from the crown down: the wearer places the cap on the head, adjusts it so the mesh panel sits in front of the eyes, and lets the fabric fall. Many wearers use a headscarf or cap underneath. An outer-coat burqa is put on like a coat, then the headscarf and face veil are added. Sets that include a separate face veil often use ties or elastic like a niqab; see what is a niqab.
Sizes and colors
Chadari-style garments are commonly associated with a narrow range of colors, with blue being the shade most widely recognized, though other colors are made. Outer-coat styles are most often black or other deep shades. Sizing is usually by length and, for crown-based garments, by head circumference. List both in centimeters and inches, and state whether the length is measured at the front or the back.
Full-length garments are also heavier to ship and slower to inspect than headscarves. Each piece is checked for pleat consistency, mesh attachment, seam strength and length against the approved sample, and folding has to keep pleats in place without crushing them. Plan packing with the workshop before bulk, not after.
Rules about face coverings in public places vary by country and change; take local advice for every market you sell into.
For sellers: naming and describing a burqa
The single most useful thing a burqa product page can do is say which garment it is. A title such as full-length burqa with mesh eye panel, or burqa coat with matching niqab, removes most of the confusion. Then add the details.
- Garment type. Crown-and-mesh style, outer coat, or set, in plain words.
- Pieces included. List every piece in the set.
- Measurements. Length front and back, crown circumference, mesh panel size.
- Fabric and care. Fiber content as on the label, plus care instructions.
- Photography. Show the garment on a form or flat, and close-ups of the crown and mesh, without faces.
Avoid stereotyped imagery, dramatic descriptions or wording that guesses at the wearer's situation. Describe the garment calmly, as you would any other piece of clothing. For sourcing, the burqa sourcing page covers styles and workshop requirements, and the MOQ and lead time page explains reference ranges, confirmed in writing for each program.