Tufting takes over Chennai: Art of crafting rugs, mats, and more becomes popular weekend activity

CHENNAI: Scrolling through social media for a fun weekend activity might land you at a ‘Tufting Date’ post. Intrigued? Weekend leisure has taken centre stage and an addition to the repertoire of satisfying pastimes is Tufting, an activity that is trickling into the city.

Tufting, a process where yarns are punched into a large fabric stretched on a frame using tufting guns to create rugs and mats, offering an enhanced form of weaving. What was once just a manufacturing process, has now bloomed into an intriguing recreational activity, drawing in friend groups and couples alike. The sophisticated art is slowly exciting kids as well, she rejoiced. “People are always on the lookout for novel and exciting activities and this makes them jump at the chance to join new workshops regularly,” says Maydhini, 29, a tufting artist and founder of Oops Origami.

Maydhini’s passion for art began with origami. After discovering tufting and attending a workshop, she did extensive research and began conducting her own workshops. Though the craft looks fancy, sourcing raw materials seems to be a struggle to the artistes. “Just a few months old in the city, the craft requires high-end materials that are procured from the northern part of the country, typically in bulk,” she explains. “Customer feedback is essential in running a business like this and social media has been key in hooking customers,” she adds.

Another Chennai-based creator is Ramya Gopinathan, a self-taught artist behind Amour Artistique, who honed her skills through tutorials. The 29-year-old is set to pursue art full-time from January.

Talking about what attracts customers, she emphasises, “The satisfaction of the crafting process and the advantage of customising products that can be used regularly attracts people. Chennaiites are quite hesitant to shell out dearly for short workshops. Additionally, the high investment required for larger setups limits us to do smaller workshops.”

The artists named the dog-based designs, floral patterns, and panda designs as the top picks from customers for rugs, mats, wall decor, and mirror art. While tufting continues to search its place in Chennai’s artistic arena, there’s a demand for constant refinement that meets creative expression and customer desires.