Behind the bottle

Inside

Reporting on how Karachi's perfume industry actually works, from sourcing and manufacturing to retail, economics and market change.

Inside9 min read

Perfume Crossed Partition Too: How Delhi and Kannauj’s Attar Trade Rebuilt Itself in Karachi

Partition moved perfume knowledge as well as people. From Delhi businesses established before 1947 to a Karachi attar house that continued sourcing from Kannauj, the records reveal how an older fragrance culture became part of the city.

Published 14 September 2026

Inside10 min read

From Bottle Gali to 5,000 Fragrances: How Karachi’s Perfume World Changed Without Leaving the Street

Karachi’s perfume world did not simply move online. From Botal Gali suppliers and old customer ledgers to WhatsApp orders, D2C brands and catalogues advertising thousands of fragrances, the old street trade quietly became part of a much larger system.

Published 29 August 2026

Inside9 min read

414, 502, 555: When Pakistan Turned Sporting Records Into Perfume

414, 502 and 555 look like product codes. They are actually pieces of Pakistani sporting history, carried from cricket and squash records onto perfume bottles.

Published 29 August 2026