Young Indian Entrepreneurs Revive Ancient Perfume Craft, Taking Traditional Scents Global
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Kannauj, India has a long history and tradition of making ittars, natural perfumes made by distilling flowers, herbs and spices. At one point there were 700 distilleries but the industry declined due to competition from cheap alcohol-based perfumes.
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Recently some young Indian entrepreneurs have started new brands like Boond and Kastoor to revive interest in ittars, make them more accessible, and support local artisans.
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The new brands are combining traditional ittar scents with modern marketing to target India's consumer culture. Sales are rapidly increasing as interest grows in natural, alcohol-free perfumes.
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The brands are also exporting globally due to demand for sustainable, organic beauty products. International interest is driven by trends toward natural ingredients and supporting people of color-owned businesses.
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Generations of artisanal knowledge position the Kannauj ittar makers to tap into these modern trends while promoting quintessentially Indian fragrances to the world.