What is the manufacturing process?

Our products are created through a combination of handcrafting and upcycling, with women playing a central role in the making process. For our sacred-flower range, collected flowers are carefully segregated, cleaned, dried and processed before being transformed into incense, fragrant products and artisanal keepsakes. Other collections bring together traditional craft techniques and contemporary design using materials such as paper-mache, and other natural ingredients. Many processes—from preparing materials to crafting, finishing, assembling and packing—require skilled human intervention. We consciously design our processes to create opportunities for women to develop skills, earn livelihoods and become economically empowered, while creating products that make eco-conscious living more beautiful and accessible.

What are the ingredients/materials you use?

Our material palette reflects our philosophy of artisanal, eco-conscious living. Depending on the product, we use upcycled sacred flower petals, natural herbs, wood powders, plant-based and natural fragrance ingredients, essential oils, paper, and other thoughtfully selected materials. Our incense is created without charcoal and incorporates flower powders and natural ingredients. Across categories, we continuously explore ways to replace conventional materials with natural, upcycled, reusable or longer-lasting alternatives wherever functionally possible. Since our portfolio spans home wellness, spiritual products, décor and gifting, materials vary by collection, but our approach remains consistent: thoughtful material choices, purposeful design and responsible creation.

How do you source your raw materials/ ingredients?

We follow a conscious and purpose-led sourcing approach, prioritising natural, upcycled and locally available materials wherever feasible. Sacred flowers and paper used in select Pankhudiyan products are collected from places of worship and given a meaningful second life instead of becoming waste. Other natural ingredients and raw materials are procured through trusted suppliers and sourcing partners, with attention to quality, functionality and suitability for handcrafted production. For specialised materials and crafts, we work with relevant suppliers and artisan ecosystems across India. We continuously evaluate materials and processes to reduce unnecessary waste and increase the use of responsible alternatives. Our sourcing philosophy is not simply about what a material is made of, but also about extending its life, creating value from overlooked resources and supporting a more conscious production ecosystem.

During its life and beyond, can your products be repurposed or composted at home?

Many Pankhudiyan products are thoughtfully designed to return to nature, dissolve, or be reused beyond their primary purpose. Our flower-based incense are made using sacred flowers and natural ingredients, leaving behind minimal ash that can return to the earth. Our handcrafted paper-mache products offer an even more circular end-of-life—the Dissolvable Seed Ganpati, made with upcycled sacred flowers and paper-mache, dissolves in water after visarjan and its embedded seeds can be planted to nurture new life. Our paper-mache tealight holders can also be dissolved responsibly at the end of their useful life. Durable elements such as ceramic holders, glass bottles and décor pieces are designed for continued reuse rather than single use. While our entire range is not home-compostable, we consciously design around upcycling, natural materials, reuse, dissolvability and reduced waste.

Abhay Mehrotra, founder of Pankhudiyan, is deeply passionate about projects that are driven by a purpose.

After spending nearly two decades in the healthcare industry, he decided to move back to his native place, Prayagraj in UP in early 2021. It was there that the idea of Pankhudiyan was born. 

During one of his routine temple visits, he was driven by curiosity to find out what happens to the flowers offered at places of worship and discovered that much of it gets disposed of in rivers. At that point he became keen to solve this environmental challenge. What made the entire proposition even more compelling was the opportunity to engage rural women in solving this problem.

Abhay’s vision for Pankhudiyan is to build it as a women-centric enterprise, and create elegant lifestyle products that drive our environmental consciousness as we make one eco-friendly choice at a time.