[5] Earlier appliqué canopies, umbrellas and lanterns were prepared by the Gajapatis for the annual Ratha Jatra of Jagannath.
The base cloth includes water proof material for umbrellas, velvet for tents, cotton, and threads.
The income of this town is essentially dependent on the business of its handicrafts of which the appliqué works are the main source.
Nowadays, Pipili is globally known as the destination of appliqué and is where many workers and workshops continue to practise the technique, creating both traditional and contemporary items.
[7] Pipili has an entry in 2004 in the Guinness Book of Records, for the world's largest thematic appliqué work.