Scarf of Dreams
This gorgeous scarf in luminous turquoise is the color of a cloudless African sky and comes from Ethiopia, considered one of the most fragile regions in East Africa. It is as soft as luxurious silk and is handspun in a blend of fine Ethiopian cotton with a delicate border in a traditional tibeb pattern intricately adorned with small brass beads.
The Ethiopian Scarf of Dreams measures 52″ long x 9 1/2″ wide. It drapes gracefully over your shoulders. A story card is included with your purchase.
The Story
On the outskirts of Addis Ababa, the dusty capital city of Ethiopia, you will come across the design studio of Membere, a young Ethiopian entrepreneur-designer whose dream to create opportunities for impoverished women in the city – is now being realised.
In Ethiopia, weaving is a family affair, sometimes to supplement a family’s farming and sometimes its entire source of income. Traditionally, it is men who have been the weavers whilst women, of all ages, have been responsible for gathering cotton grown in the Rift Valley lowlands and carrying huge bundles on their heads up steep mountain paths back to their villages. All ages of women spin cotton, using a simple drop spindle. Today, many of these weavers and their families have moved with their looms to Addis Ababa where they now sell their fabric at the bustling market – one of the largest in Africa – at the foot of Entoto Mountain. Here, among the 150 or more stalls overflowing with beautiful textiles, shoppers can search for the ideal fabric, each in a stunning color with just the right touch of tibeb that proudly states, “Handmade in Ethiopia”.
Menbere was trained in design in the United States but chose to return to Ethiopia, knowing how challenging it would be to set up an enterprise in a country that is considered one of the most fragile in Africa. She was determined and her dream has been to create a thriving design business that highlights the beauty of Ethiopian crafts and offers training and financial support for women who would otherwise be left forgotten. Today, Menbere employs 30 seamstresses and deals with 45 weavers who produce the traditional tibeb designs.
We are pleased to partner with both Memby Designs in Ethiopia and Creative Women, a fair trade textile company based in Vermont who has supported us in bringing the scarves to the United States.
