How love became sandmade desert design

 I’ve been happily married to my Egyptian husband for nine years. Through him I got to know the culture of this wonderful country and the handicrafts of the Bedouin women. Their beautifully embroidered, colorful individual pieces in ethno-look inspired me immediately and so I decided to support the work of the Egyptian women. I would like to share their traditional and uniquely beautiful embroidery with the world in this webshop. So I want to contribute to keep this special craft alive by offering my customers high quality and stylish Ethical Fashion.

Embedded in a breathtaking landscape at the foot of the famous mountain Sinai, lies the village of St. Catherine. The small desert village is named after the nearby Byzantine monastery, one of the oldest and most famous in the world. The Jabaleya Bedouins have found their home there and have been living in this village since about the 6th century. Formerly used by the Roman Emperor Justinian as soldiers and craftsmen of the monastery, they now earn their living as artisans and tourist guides. About 500 Bedouin women earn their living through creative handwork. By producing fair trade fashion and accessories and selling them to visitors to the village, they ensure their survival.

The traditional handicraft of sewing and embroidery is passed down through the generations among the Bedouin women. By selling their manufactured fair trade goods, they can earn an income that enables them to ensure the survival of their families. The origin of the craft lies with the shepherds, who took sugar bags for their tea and bags for their instruments to the mountains, where they embroidered them artistically while herding goats.

Inspired by the picturesque landscape and the flora and fauna of their homeland, they create unique embroideries. Fruit and olive trees, the camels of the Bedouins in the village and the beloved mountains spark the creativity of the women and produce in this way exceptionally beautiful works of art. The Jabaleya are the only Bedouin tribe who do not only decorate their handicrafts with geometric motifs, but also use their homeland as a model for their design. Thus the spirit of the South Sinai lives in her work and makes it even more unique. There are no recorded patterns. Therefore their art is threatened with extinction. Projects like my webshop www.sandmade-desertdesign.de want to prevent this and keep this wonderful culture alive and share it with the world.

The Bedouin women live from selling their lovingly embroidered and beautiful goods to tourists. Unfortunately, tourism has declined dramatically in recent years due to the Egyptian Revolution, making it increasingly difficult for women to earn a living for their families. I made it my business to support the Bedouin tribe of the Jabaleya out of love for the people, their homeland Egypt and their fascinating handicrafts. So I sell their exceptionally beautiful and colorful Ethical Fashion not only here in my webshop, but also on designer markets and in my Etsy-Shop. In this way I contribute to the Bedouin women’s livelihood. With every unique item you buy, you also support their traditional handicrafts and make sure that the families live well and that their children can go to school. Add the special charm of the South Sinai desert to your look and do something good for the Bedouin women.

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