Almost every ancient civilization has a tradition of making Cloth Dolls. They have been made for puppet theaters, they have been made for children to play with and they have been made for decorations. The unique thing about the Cloth Dolls is that traditionally the craft has been practiced by females.

The reason for this being a female oriented craft was that it originated as household toy making for kids. It required no tools and the necessary material was easily available in any home. Further it is an easy material to work with.

The traditional Cloth Dolls are now called costume Dolls. Initially the Cloth Dolls were very crude but with time they were refined and beautiful Dolls emerged. The traditional Dolls depict the brides and the grooms, mythological characters, and Hindu Gods and Goddesses and Dolls dressed in regional costumes and dance costumes. Facial expression and other features are hand painted. The costume and other accessories are also handmade.

Modern day Cloth Dolls include the stuffed toys. They are made of fluffy felt and filled with some filling material like poly- fiber or foam etc. They replicate animal and bird figures, famous cartoon characters, and other animated creatures. They are favorites of children for their soft appeal and a comforting touch.