A STORY OF CREATIVE DARING AND TRANSMISSION

My name is Rabab Fatima. I was born into a noble family in Kannauj, India, in the year 1991. It was the perfect day for my birth. I was welcomed by a sunny sky and there wasn’t even a single cloud to be seen. So, my mother named me Rabab (The White Cloud), which meant “fun” or “joy.”

My family has been guarding the secrets of Attar, the traditional Indian oil-based perfume, for more than two centuries. I was destined to take on responsibility for protecting this legacy and tradition. From an early age, I learned how to distil essential oils and floral extracts by observing my father working tirelessly day after day over his wood-burning stove.

The smell of sandalwood and rose used to fill in the air as my father distil flowers in his olfactory like a setup that would be used for making attar.

Kannauj is the home of some of the most famous perfumeries since ancient India. In recent years, however, the demand for traditional Indian oil-based perfume and floral extracts has increased exponentially. This increase in popularity led many perfumeries to attempt chemical-based imitation techniques. Many artisanal perfumeries are being replaced by cheaper, more comfortable chemical-based distillation methods, but not with every perfumery in Kannauj. We are still using the ancient technique to make perfume oils and floral extracts that lasts for generations and smells like gold.

The traditional attar industry is fast losing ground in Kannauj due to the high costs of production. Up until the late 1990s, there were around 650 perfumeries. Now there are only 100 or so surviving to produce Attar using the traditional method.

I grew up in a family of perfumers. My great grandfather was the one who started the business and used to sell in bulk, but with years gone by and technology advancements, our family business started to fade. In a mission to preserve our family’s history and save this dying art of conventional extraction, I started Zofla in 2015.

I soon took on my role as a solopreneur for the company. I listed all our products on eCommerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart and started our retail venture.

My husband, whose name is Shakir Alam, wanted a way out of his boring job as an Application Architect so he joined me in starting Zofla. We thought this would be our chance at achieving something great together and make money doing what we love best: perfumes, essential oils and other aromatic products.

Zofla, a name that brings life to the air around you. We are a 100% vegetarian company that produces handmade organic herbal and aromatic products. I believe in living a healthy lifestyle so I devote my time to provide people with the goodness of nature only.

The philosophy behind this company is that everyone should have a zone of floral aroma in their lives, hence the name Zofla. We are committed to providing people with all-natural beauty and wellness products that will bring joy and happiness without any allergies or irritations at all. All our products are hand-crafted by artisans and craftsmen with lots of love and care for you!

We at Zofla specialize in extracting beauty and wellness products, and putting them into jars with beautiful labels, and sending them right to your doorstep! Our products have been made for people just like you who want to experience nature. We wish to fill everybody’s lives with aroma and all the goodness that nature has bestowed upon us.

Rabab Fatima, Founder, Perfumer	Shakir Alam, Co-Founder, Techie