Punjab is a state known for its colourful handicrafts, which brings out the colourful, and vibrant spirit of the people of the state. It seems as if craft making virtually runs in the blood of the Punjabis. The range of crafts in Punjab include phulkari, woodwork, wood inlay, lacquerware, leather craft, floor coverings,

Phulkari is a type of embroidery, which the Punjabi women`s undertake to utilize their leisure time. This embroidery requires a lot of skill and time. It is a traditional craft of Punjab and best exemplifies the Punjabi folk art. It is a spectacular design, which is made through horizontal, vertical and diagonal stitches. In Phulkari the whole cloth is covered with intricate embroidery leaving no space untouched. It is the bagh or the garden design. The several types of bagh are shalimar bagh, chand bagh, mircha bagh, duniya bagh, satranga, panchranga and so on. Today, phulkari has attained a commercial proportion and has moved away from the geometrical style and has stylized flowers, animals, birds, jewelry pattern etc. The cloth is generally red or maroon in colour and the silk threads used for the embroidery are gold, yellow, crimson red, blue and green colours.

Several places in Punjab like Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Bhera are known for carvings on wood and making designer furniture. Craftsmen are adept at making contemporary and period furniture.

Hosiarpur In Punjab specializes in wood inlay. The range of inlay articles produced in the region includes tabletops, teapots, trays, table legs, screens, bowls, cigarette cases and chessboards. The designs represent the traditional Moghul variety with emphasis on flora, fauna and geometrical patterns. For wood inlay mainly sisum wood is used and occasionally black wood is used.

Pidhis are low four legged woven stools mainly made in Kartarpur, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur. The pidhis are first carved out of wood and then covered with lacquer and woven with different coloured threads. Other lacquer ware products of Punjab include traditional lacquered furniture with classic designs. The work here is in the nakashi style.

Girls learn weaving at a young age and they specially make durries at this age. Durries are a pile less cotton spread, which can be used on a bed or on the floor. They are woven in different sizes in different designs, which range from geometrical patterns, animals, birds, leaves and flowers. Carpet weaving has not developed on a large scale as weaving of durries. Mani Majra outside Chandigarh makes distinctive textures and designs. Bhatinda makes durries from a plant whose fibre has a very different texture. Parandis are not as attractive as carpet weaving but are available in a number of colours and designs. Jalandhar, Amritsar, Nikodar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana are famous for making parandis.

Attractive leatherwork is also a craft in Punjab. Rich gold and multi coloured threads are used to embellish and lend a tinge of royalty to the jootis, which are made from leather of different shades. Muktsar near Faridkot is well known for jootis. There one can find jootis embellished with zari (gold thread), salma and tilla.