Afghan artisans pit talents against Chinese imports
Decline in craft has put women, who once were able to make a living at home, out of work
Cheap, Chinese-made nylon burkas are flooding Afghanistan’s north as consumers turn to affordable, mass-produced fabrics — but in Kabul a small, determined fashion house is fighting to preserve the traditional textiles once integral to Afghan culture.
Launched in 2006, “Zarif” — “precious” in Persian — commissions traditional cotton and silk from artisanal weavers, then employs more than two dozen people — mostly women — to tailor and design the fabrics into handcrafted, embroidered clothing.
But with cheaper imports saturating the market, they are struggling to keep local traditional methods afloat, says founder Zolaykha Sherzad.
More than just fabrics
Only decades ago, the textile industry was on par with Afghanistan’s legendary carpet trade, famed since the days of the old Silk Road. During its heyday textiles were more than just fabrics, with their patterns, colours and embroidery illuminating the origins and tribal history of their makers.
“In the past, the fabrics were entirely embroidered, on the walls, the cushions ... the wedding dresses,” says Sherzad.
“But now, we are trying hard just to keep them as ornaments on jackets and coats, to maintain the know-how,” she adds, saying the decline in the craft has put large numbers of women out of work who once were able to make a living at home.
With Zarif, she hopes to fill the gap while aiming to preserve Afghanistan’s textile traditions and designing contemporary takes on Afghan fashion staples.
A visit to the bazaar in northern Mazar-i-Sharif shows the challenge she faces. The cheaper knock-offs are printed on nylon, rather than silk, closely replicating traditional designs but at a third of the price.