Women-led sustainable businesses shine at Phulkari Bazaar

The annual edition of Phulkari Bazaar, an initiative to promote small enterprises and businesses managed and founded by women entrepreneurs, was hosted at Ameera Farms by Phulkari-Women of Amritsar, a women organisation based in the city.

Phulkari Bazaar is a business-to-business platform, where women entrepreneurs come together to form a network and exchange of ideas and trade. This year, around 60 and more small, home grown brands from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Delhi-NCR featured products, including woollens, apparels, hand crafted furniture, jewellery, vintage art and organically sourced and produced decor.

It is also a business-to-people platform, where direct buyer-seller exchange happens, ensuring that small enterprises get the support they need and consumers get quality and customised services.

Among some stand put stalls were Just Clay by Vandit Jain, a 26-year-old Jalandhar-based artist with Down Syndrome working with slab pottery for over a year now. What started as a hobby has now turned into his passion and a source of his happiness. His exhibit had handcrafted-clay coasters, candle stands, DIY painting kits and flower sticks that he paints himself.

“It all began when Vandit was introduced to Pottery in a hobby class. Pottery is not just a hobby for him but a source of his happiness. He enjoys the whole process straight from rolling the clay, moulding it, firing and getting to see the final result. Just Clay is our passion project to serve you with the best of products exclusively handcrafted with love,” said Vandit’s mother Preeti, who is also a co-founder.

Also, sustainable business, including soy wax candles and decor products made from fibre-weaved and produced from recycled plastic bottles showcased creativity with environmental consciousness. Neelam, an artist for the last 30 years, has been making these plastic weaved, fibre products in her studio in Delhi with team of 30 artists. “There is a growing market for sustainable products as people have grown bored of mass productions,” she said.

Meenakshi Khanna, president, Phulkari, said, “Our aim to host the Phulkari Bazaar has always been to financially empower women in business and give opportunity to small home-grown businesses to reach out to more people. A majority of the stalls on display are being run or supported by women entrepreneurs and local artisans and weavers. Local brands, helmed by many homemakers-turned-entrepreneurs, have on offer surprisingly artistic and sustainable products, with live workshops on styling, make up, music and art.”