Inside Banda’s artificial flower unit shaped by women working from home

In Mavai village of Banda district, a small artificial flower manufacturing unit operates through a quiet, distributed workflow. Raw material arrives from outside, is cut and punched by machine, and then moves into homes across nearby settlements. There, women shape and stitch the flowers by hand before the finished pieces are collected, assembled, and packed back at the unit.

The unit is run by Ishwar Krishna, a Banda resident who set it up after returning home during the Covid period. The business produces artificial flowers used in decorative arrangements for festivals, events, and public spaces. Demand, he says, is steady but price-sensitive, shaped by competition and seasonal buying cycles.

From disrupted plans to a local unit

Krishna did not come from a business background. He studied geography at the postgraduate level and spent several years preparing for competitive examinations in Delhi. When the pandemic disrupted his routine and personal loss followed, he returned to Banda, unsure of his next step.

Manufacturing options were considered, ranging from paper products to dairy and composting. Artificial flowers stood out because of their consistent demand and the possibility of starting small. Krishna learned the basics while spending time with a relative involved in handmade floral crafts, then adapted the process to a semi-mechanised model suitable for his village.

Initial capital came through the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan (CM YUVA) Yojana, which helped him finance machinery and set up the unit. Additional expenses, including rent, electricity, and daily operations, were managed through personal funds. Since then, the CM Yuva Yojana has remained a support mechanism rather than the centre of the story, offering space to experiment while navigating a competitive market.

Work that travels to homes

A defining feature of the unit is its reliance on women working from home. After cutting and punching, semi-finished materials are distributed to women who stitch and assemble the flowers at their own pace. Finished pieces are either collected by the unit’s workers or dropped off directly, with payment settled at the time of handover.

This arrangement allows women who cannot travel for work to participate using existing skills. “This work suits those who cannot step out regularly and prefer earning from home,” Krishna explains.

The model also helps the unit manage production in advance. Artificial flowers cannot be made instantly during peak demand, so stock is built gradually during lean periods. Unlike natural flowers, they require little space and no land, making the business feasible from a small room.

Early pressures, steady footing

Four months into operations, challenges remain. Prices are difficult to negotiate locally, labour needs fluctuate, and loan instalments begin early, even as markets take time to open up. Krishna believes a short repayment grace period would ease early pressure.

Yet daily routines have settled into place. Production targets, stock planning, and worker coordination now define his schedule. “Earlier life was different, now responsibility structures every day,” he says.

As the unit stabilises, Krishna sees value less in rapid growth and more in holding ground, learning markets, and building slowly from the work already taking shape in Banda.