Our Mission
Our purpose is to empower women and inspire youth in underdeveloped area’s of Jordan by linking modern design to Bedouin craft tradition and offer a sustainable quality product with a unique story to the world of the conscious fashion consumer.
Women Empowerment
Our work engages and benefits Bedouin women and other underprivileged groups throughout Jordan: the weaving is done in Petra, Wadi Rum and Feynan, the olive wooden toggles are made by vulnerable women in Amman, while the leather work for our straps come from Iraqi refugees, and recycled glass & bead work for tasseled decoration come from either Bedouin women or Syrian refugees in Northern Jordan.
Reviving Heritage
Our Designs are inspired by Bedouin tradition which results in a unique product with an authentic story. A story we wish to share with the world, and one that inspires the next generation of young women to become artisans and entrepreneurs. By creating sustainable products and an income for the mothers, we create possibilities to dream a different future for their daughters.
Sustainable Fashion
Our work is made of recycled 2nd hand sweaters. A team of about 20 women located in Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra, recycle the yarn of jumpers and spin it into a double thread suitable for weaving. It means we collect a large array of colors which result in a unique, one of a kind product that we can’t exactly reproduce. The toggles are made of left over pieces of a wood workshop and beads of old abaya’s (Bedouin dresses) are recycled into tasseled decoration.
How it all began
In 2009, Dutch designer, artist and advertising specialist Sandra Jelly came to Jordan for a sabbatical, to paint the beautiful landscape and participate in the local endurance race on horseback. When her horse got pregnant, she decided to stay and let her heart and horse lead the way. In 2010 she found a pretty woven bag in Petra and had her friends lead her to a group of weaving women in Udruh (close to Petra). These Bedouin women were weaving horse and camel bags for the locals in Petra, yet where struggling to earn a decent income. With her background in business Sandra Jelly recognized the potential of linking their tradition to modern product design and decided to start co-creating.
With no mentionable capital available, nor business plan or feasibility study, she simply invested 50 JOD in wool to start making bags. She did not come to aid, she came to develop trade as this was her background. By reinvesting the revenues, the business grew slowly and by 2014 they were able to establish their not for profit business: to revive heritage and empower Bedouin women. By then they had started to recycle second hand sweaters into colorful balls of yarn, to be then spun into a double thread suitable for weaving. The next step was setting up the ground loom to create fabrics with unique stripe patterns. Thereafter the products are finished by hand. A fully handcrafted, one of a kind product inspired by tradition would be the result.
Through social media and visitors to Jordan our work now find happy customers all over the world. In 2020 we were able to expand into 2 new communities with other communities wishing to join our weaving tribe. Your interest, support and the response of our customers have encouraged founder Sandra Jelly to walk the extra miles to create a social brand that brings opportunity, economic activity, hope and appreciation for the weaving craft of Bedouin women in rural areas of Jordan.
Ahlan wa sahlan – Welcome.