Archive for category: Geen categorie

Usually we share good news, because it is of course nice to tell about. Although there is undoubtedly a lot happening behind the scenes, that’s less fun, last Friday’s incident was one of our deepest lows. One of our Moroccan weaving cooperatives has completely burned down.

When we first met 7 years ago, there were about 40 people working, now there are 700. The cooperative is located in a small rural community in Central Morocco. Almost every family within this community is connected to the weaving cooperative through one or more family members. Meaning that this disaster affects the entire community, who now have no income.

In addition, the cooperative supports homeless people and problem young people from the immediate vicinity through its own workshop. They offer these people a new future perspective by learning a trade.

Fortunately, they are brave and powerful. The whole village is helping to clean the weaving cooperative, so that they can start rebuilding soon. But they have to start all over again. All weaving looms have been lost, including the wool stock, the complete presentation room, the office, etc.

You can make a donation
to financially support the cooperative
in its reconstruction.

Please contact us so that we can transfer 100% of your donation to the cooperative.

In recent years they have made several products for Fair Fabrics, including cushion covers. We generally do not have any stock of products, as we only produce on demand. Often our producers make spare or extra products, in the end we buy them from them so that they do not get stuck with them. At the moment we have two different cushion sets available from this special Moroccan cooperative for sale in our web shop. 

Naturally, we contribute directly to the construction. In addition, we want to donate a substantial part of each cushion set sold directly to our cooperative.

Cushion cover set 1: donation to the cooperative € 37,50. (sales price € 75 in. VAT)

Cushion cover set 2: donation to the cooperative € 50. (sales price € 99 in. VAT)

The shipping costs are for our account. 
While stocks last.

From 20 to 22 May, the monumental HAKA building in Rotterdam will once again be dominated by inspiration and innovation during the 10th edition of the OBJECT Rotterdam design fair. Interior enthusiasts and design professionals can finally meet in person again.

OBJECT is a platform for interior inspiration, innovative design labels and limited editions from established and emerging designers. There is a mix of product, furniture, fashion, light and graphic design.

For each edition of OBJECT, the selection of designers is carefully selected by director Anne van der Zwaag, seeking a balance between commercial and conceptual designs. Fair Fabrics is proud to once again be part of this design fair and can be found on the 4th floor with the presentation ‘The language of Weaving’. And extra festive because just like Fair Fabrics, OBJECT is also celebrating a 10 year anniversary!

Design your own rug

During OBJECT, visitors can design their own rug that will be handwoven by a Tunisian artisan workshop. The presentation “The Language of Weaving” shows with several large rugs how the Berber symbolism of the artisan weavers serves as a special means of communication.

Berber weavers are artisans with many years of experience, but they are also often illiterate. They process important events and experiences through symbols and colours in the rug they weave.

Berber symbolism

The form of language designs are intensely personal and must be interpreted with care. They often work with the symbols of love, nature, birth and happiness. But also stories in the form of personal convictions and life in the countryside are incorporated into the rugs. The form of language includes, for example, magic numbers and squares, verses from the Quran, Arabic script, geometric shapes, as well as references to the animal and vegetable kingdoms.

The history of Berber motifs goes back hundreds of years. It is unknown whether the earliest designs were used on the body in the form of tattoos, or on material objects such as rugs, leather objects or carvings. However, the long tradition of this form of language is still an integral part of the culture of North African countries, and not just in the Berber-majority regions.

The Language of Weaving

With the project ‘ The language of weaving’ we want to investigate whether we can find a suitable way to connect even better between end-user and artisan. By providing more insight into these forms of language, we remove boundaries, and can better read and understand cultural identity. The Language Of Weaving is not scientific research, but a way to connect the worlds on an equal level and to exchange insights.

Concept & design ‘The Language of Weaving’: Karlijne Brand in collaboration with Fair Fabrics.

Visit Fair Fabrics during OBJECT

The Language of Weaving can be seen during OBJECT Rotterdam 2022
HAKA building | Vierhavensstraat 38-42 | Rotterdam
Friday 20 to Sunday 22 May 2022 | 10am-6pm

Tickets are available online and at the door and cost € 15.00, children under 12 can enter for free.
www.objectrotterdam.com
www.rotterdamartweek.info
A ticket also gives free access to the Euromast during the preview and exhibition days
www.euromast.nl

Karin from Fair Fabrics recently traveled to Jordan to go through a design thinking program with artisan entrepreneurs. The visit to Jordan leaves you wanting more! What a great country and fantastic and talented artisans.

Netherlands Embassy in Jordan

In collaboration with the Dutch embassy, Souq Fann/Leaders of Tomorrow organized a multi-day training Design Thinking in Jordan. With the help of the Design Thinking process, a step can be taken to enter the international market. Fair Fabrics founder Karin Kandt was therefore asked to design the program as an expert in this field. The entrepreneurs come from different provinces of Jordan. They are without exception very talented, each within their own craft. A good basis to continue working together to take the next step in quality design with the right ingredients.

Personal coaching

In addition to central sessions, in which beautiful examples of Dutch Design were used to inspire the artisans, there were also personal coaching sessions for all 30 participants. During the field visits, several workshops were visited in Jordan. In some cases, a concrete connection has already been made with potential Dutch enthusiastic customers. Fortunately, in addition to the full and intensive program, there was also enough time to get to know the country, its inhabitants and culture better. As far as possible in a week.

We concluded the training with a 1-minute video pitch in which each entrepreneur introduced herself/herself to potential international clients. During the training we worked on 6 personal focus points to work with after the training.

Correctbook

We are very grateful to Social Enterprise NL colleague Correctbook because they ensured that all entrepreneurs received their own Correctbook as a gift. This was of course received with great enthusiasm by both the participants themselves and the children in the family ;-). Because not only the sustainable idea was appreciated. But the idea of giving where necessary, with a healthy business model behind it that inspired the participants, was also embraced.

Shiraka program Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The training was initiated by Leaders of Tomorrow and made possible by the Shiraka program of the Dutch Embassy in Jordan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The purpose of Shiraka in Jordan is, among other things, to support building economic growth and stimulating employment.

Project European Union

Leaders of Tomorrow aims to create a society of young, well-educated, critical and entrepreneurial leaders who are able to creatively serve their society. One of the successful projects is the e-commerce platform Souq Fann. This platform, financed by the European Union, offers assistance to artisanal entrepreneurs in the field of marketing and logistics. This allows them to grow their business and develop their skills. While customers around the world can also take a look at Jordan’s rich history and culture.

We can hardly believe it ourselves, Fair Fabrics turned 10!

The first visit to a weaving cooperative in the Moroccan Atlas mountains has been the great start of realizing our dreams; growing together in entrepreneurship by stimulating the local economy in our production countries in a fair way.

We would like to celebrate our anniversary together, which is why we have come up with various beautiful and appropriate gifts during our anniversary year. Click to links below to find our more:

Sample & Stock Sale

Mini, handwoven rug

10% investment bonus

Want to know more? Go directly to the website www.safatableware.com

Discovering the craft of Safa Tablewares. It comes in infinite styles and shapes. Just like decor pieces, tableware is influenced each year by trends, changing tastes, and innovation. One necessary kitchen item  -that will never go out of style- is a sturdy bowl. 

A good quality bowl is supposed to last for years and not go out of style, rather be so multifaceted that it becomes a classic piece in no time. In order for an olive wood bowl to last for years, specific know-how is required during production. Safa chooses to collaborate with the most talented workshops in Tunisia, specialized in bowls made of organic olive wood. To let you know what’s behind your new favorite bowl, we’re sharing the Safa manufacturing process with you here.

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Selecting

The first step is the selection of the right wood. Not every kind of olive tree is used for production. Only old trees that have not produced fruit for several years and for which permission has been obtained from the Tunisian government may be felled. New young trees are planted in their place. This creates a rare recycling process that makes Safa olive wood sustainably sourced.

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Sketching

Secondly, only large pieces of olive wood without cracks are used for making bowls. These must have a smooth, undamaged surface using only the best pieces of wood. So, Many different olive wood products are made in the workshop, every piece of wood is used and only a small percentage of the wood is recycled into firewood. After selecting the right piece of wood, it is cut to size and the design is sketched on the wood.

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Turning 

 Thirdly, after drawing up the design, the piece of wood is placed on the turning machine that extracts the correct diameter within. This is done simultaneously by hand with a bowl gouge. This act will unveil the basic model of the bowl. 

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Rounding

This semi-finished wooden piece is then placed on another turning machine that will round the wood from the outside. This action also makes the wood smooth and ready for the final steps in the process. 

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Sanding

The next step is to finish the wood by hand. The bowl is sanded, and minor imperfections are removed. During this step, small details can be added to the wood, such as a decorated edge or even a drawing. 

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Filling

Sometimes wood paste is then used to fill the smallest imperfections so that the entire bowl is easy to keep clean. Wood paste is made from sawdust and a binding agent.

Olive wood Safa Tableware : Oiling

The last step in the process is oiling the wood. This indispensable step ensures that the olive wood bowl shows its well-known warm golden color and retains natural fragrance. Olive wood is naturally an extremely strong and hard wood that stands the test of time. The oil layer ensures that it is kept nourished, but also heightens its moisture and stain resistance.

This entire process is carried out in the same workshop. The workshops that Safa works with are equipped with the best craftspeople who know and perfect every step in the process in order to obtain the highest quality bowls.

Bon appetit! 

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