Every craft in India deserves acknowledgment and appreciation from those who love art. Phool Patti needs an enormous revival and promotion on the highest level to boost its popularity. The right efforts from researchers and startup labels can aid in preserving the interests of phool patti artisans over the long term.
The goods that are made with love are not just a reflection of the exceptional craftsmanship of Indian artisans but also reflect the wealth of the nation’s history. Every group in India is renowned for its ability to flourish by a particular craft or art that is a source of income.
As time passes, craft has become an integral part of the social-cultural aspect of our country. However, in the past, several skills have been close to extinction because fast fashion brands have swept the market with their easily accessible, cheap clothes options for the large majority of people.
The machines, powerloom fabrics, and synthetic dyes provide the items with undefined designs in a variety of colors at lower costs, making customers forget the importance of handcrafted goods. This causes the artisans not to receive a fair return on their materials and the effort they invest in the creation of products, resulting in artisans losing interest in their craft and a desire to keep their skills.
In the state of Uttar Pradesh, a condition that is famous for its intricate embroideries such as Chikankari and Zardozi, few are aware of Phool, the work of Patti. This is a form of applique work in which fabrics are cut in the shapes of flowers and leaves and then hand-stitched to the base materials. According to Farah Usmani, the author of the book Phool Paatti Ka Kaam: Revitalizing an Ancient Indian Applique Embroidery, “This decorative style of textiles consists of tiny pieces of fine’mul’ material that are cut by hand, then folded with care and then shaped into tiny leaves, petals as well as other floral and geometric designs. Then, they are embroidered on the fabric to create range of intricate patterns. The entire embroidery process is carried out by hand, including the finishing of joining edges.”
The craft’s skill craft is typically executed delicately by women from Aligarh as well as Rampur city in UP. The art is believed to have been developed during the Mughal period to embellish “shalukas” worn by the begums of the nawabs. It was previously used to make shamianas, tents, and canopies. Aligarh was well-known for its tents. Tops can be made to serve religious reasons.
The primary materials are cambric cotton, mul cotton, kota, and cambric for this elegant work of applique. But, these days, it’s being performed using chanderi silk, too. The current product collection includes kurtas and dupattas as well as dress materials, sarees, curtains, etc. There are a variety of labels like Aairahyd, Desi Pitaara, The Pink Almirah, Manorama India, Sampradaa, etc., which sell phul patti through social media sites like Instagram. Other platforms where this product is available are The Gunjha Label, Itokri, and Kaanchi Crafts.
The SWOT analysis provided below will aid in understanding the current situation of the Phul Patti project and its potential future.
Strengths:
Sustainable textiles are a current trend; Phool Patti’s work meets the criteria for sustainability since the leftover fabric scraps can be used artistically to create designs of flowers’ petals and leaves.
* The ability required to cut, fold, and hem onto base fabric is attainable by women in a matter of minutes.
Women are able to work at home after having completed their chores at home, allowing more women to join the workforce.
Weaknesses:
* Women are mostly involved and engaged in the process of creating, whereas men are in charge of making orders or doing work for women. This is why a large part of the earnings go to mediators, leaving women in a state of losing money.
The craft is affected by a lack of design intervention, the diversification of design and products in line with contemporary aesthetics, and consumer demand.
Opportunities:
This unexplored craft provides many possibilities. A proper design intervention through patterns and motif design must be integrated into the design repertoire without compromising the essence.
* The most appropriate combination of the phool patti art with other craft techniques like chikankari hand-painting, gota patti work tie, and dye, mukaish work, etc., in a variety of colors should be thoroughly explored.
Effective promotion and marketing using storytelling and branding should be conducted on a variety of platforms.
Diversification of products not only in fashion and clothing but also in the realm of home décor products that are based on lifestyle corporate gifting, souvenirs, corporate gifts, etc., could help ensure its greater distribution and acceptance in a variety of categories.
Threats
The attention of the brand owners, designers, and the general public has been centered on the famous crafts of UP, i.e., Chikankari and Zardozi, while ignoring the work of Phool Patti.
* In these days of clothing that is easy to access, many are looking to spend more money for handcrafted work of appliques, phool patti, or appliques.
A few organizations are working for the protection of artisans who make phool patti at present. Aligarh Self Reliance Alliance (ASRA) for women specializes in the ‘Phool Patti ka kam’ (flower and leaf patchwork) in textiles. When ASRA began its journey in the year 2019, its primary objective was to save women from being bonded and domestic work. According to the person who founded ASRA, women can now directly sell their items to boutiques and eliminate the necessity of intermediaries.
Conclusion
Every craft in India deserves acknowledgment and appreciation from those who love craft, and phool PPatti’swork is just one. This art form requires a massive revival and promotion on an extensive scale to boost its appeal. Research and startups could aid in preserving the interest of phool-patti artisans over the long term.