Stationery & gift-wrap brands

Stationery and gift-wrap brands have frequently featured designs labeled "Festive Geometric" on their wrapping paper, often retailing for around 2. These patterns, presented as mere decorative motifs, are widely available, particularly during holiday seasons, without any explicit cultural attribution or context.

The patterns appropriated are derived from Rangoli (रंगोली), a traditional folk art from India. Practiced pan-India, Rangoli involves creating intricate designs on floors using materials like colored rice, dry flour, sand, or flower petals. It is primarily created by women as a sacred art form to welcome deities, especially during festivals like Diwali, symbolizing prosperity, good luck, and spiritual purity. The designs are often geometric, floral, or deity-inspired, and are an integral part of religious and cultural celebrations.

The appropriation of Rangoli designs has been noted by cultural commentators and members of the Indian diaspora. Objections center on the complete decontextualization of a sacred art form, reducing it to a generic "festive geometric" pattern. Critics highlight the lack of acknowledgment for its origins, the women who traditionally create it, and its deep spiritual significance, effectively stripping it of its cultural meaning for commercial gain without proper credit.