India had numerous trade links with the outside world and Indian textiles were popular in the ancient world. Indian silk was popular in Rome in the early centuries of the Christian era. Hoards of fragments of cotton material originating from Gujarat have been found in the Egyptian tombs at Fostat, belonging to 5th century A.D. Cotton textiles were also exported to China during the heydays of the Silk Route.

Silk fabrics from South India were exported to Indonesia during the 13th century. India also Exported printed cotton fabrics or chintz, to European countries and the Far East before the coming of the Europeans to India. The British East India Company also traded in Indian cotton and silk fabrics,  

which included the near mythical Dacca Muslins, so fine a material that six yards of it were famed to be contained in a match box! Muslins from Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were also popular abroad. The past traditions of the textile and handlooms can still be seen amongst the motifs, patterns, designs, and the old techniques of weaving, still employed by the weavers.