Phulkari (Gurmukhi: ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ; Shahmukhi: پھلکاری, meaning "art of flowers") refers to the folk embroidery of the Punjab region and Gulkari of Sindh in South Asia. It is an artwork traditionally created by women.

Although phulkari means 'floral work', the designs include not only flowers but also cover motifs and geometrical shapes. The main characteristics of phulkari embroidery are use of darn stitch on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth with coloured silken thread.

The traditional varieties of phulkaris are large items of cloth and include chope, tilpatr, neelak, and bagh. Some make the distinction that phulkari only refers to sparingly-embroidered flowers, where the base cloth is still visible, while an intricately embroidered flower pattern that covers the entire garment is known as a bagh ('large garden').

The craft of phulkari has undergone changes over the centuries. According to Pal (1960), the traditional method of embroidering a phulkari and its widespread use in Punjab, India, declined by the 1950s. Traditionally, women would embroider phulkaris without using stencils. Pal (1960) states that women would clean their courtyards and invite friends and family to ceremonially begin the process of embroidering a phulkari. Folk songs would be sung on this occasion. "Ih Phulkari Meri Maan Ne Kadhi / Is Noo Ghut Ghut Japhiyan Paawan" ('This Phulkari was embroidered by my mother, I embrace it warmly'). Folk songs like these are indicative of the emotional attachment the girl had to the Phulkari embroidered by her mother or grandmother, or aunts.

Phulkari and bagh embroidery has influenced the embroidery of Gujarat known as heer bharat in its use of geometrical motifs and stitchery.

Historically, it was an art-form that was practiced in the villages of Punajb. The art of phulkari is in-decline today and less women/girls know how to create them when compared to the past.

Phulkari is made of two words: phul means 'flower' and akari means 'shape'. Phulkari meant the shape/direction of flowers which symbolized life. In Punjab, it was popularly believed that the birth of girl child in the family was auspicious. The mother and grandmothers would start embroidering Phulkari dupattas upon her birth because they believed that she would be the creator for future generations. Originally Phulkari was done with real flowers. Silk and Mulmul (soft cotton muslin) fabrics were used because of their purity and longevity. It was believed that the virtue and character of a woman gave shape to the Phulkari.^{[citation needed]}

There are different theories about the origin of phulkari. One such belief is that this embroidery was prevalent in different parts of the country as far back as the 7th century CE but survived only in Punjab. Motifs similar to the ones found in Phulkari are also found in Kashida of Bihar and some of the embroideries of Rajasthan. Another thought is that this style of embroidery came from Iran where it was called Gulkari, also meaning floral work. However, Pal (1960) notes that the styles of Phulkari are distinct to Gulkari work.