Muya Ethiopia PLC – Hand Woven Ethiopian Textiles
Learn about traditional scarves and styles that have made their way from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia into Barneys.
I had my first lesson ever in weaving today at Muya Ethiopia PLC, where they are keeping centuries old Ethiopian craft making traditions alive in a sort of cooperative that has been very successful.
Me and entrepreneur and fashion designer Sara Abera at Muya Ethiopia P.L.C.
Sara Abera, a driving force behind the fair trade operation, showed me around her shop. She makes beautiful scarves, shirts and hand-woven products. If you like well made materials and vibrant, crisp colors, you’d like her work, and many do. Products produced here are now sold in Barneys and many other designer stores around the world.
Sara showed me some very traditional patterns and woven styles, many of whose designs were based on Ethiopian tribes. I picked out a scarf that is so thin and delicate, its material seems like soft gauze. The rest of our crew shopped for family and friends. It’s places like this we enjoy visiting and supporting, as we are helping the community and supporting a green, sustainable business and keeping traditions alive so future generations can enjoy them.
All of the goods at Muya are made right there on the grounds by local people. In fact, about 120 people are employed there. These locals learned their skills from their parents and their parents learned them from their parents and so on. Without places like Muya operating, many of these artisans would be doing something else or nothing else, losing their traditional skills to the modern world. Muya gives these locals a job and keeps the tradition alive.
Solomon, a local weaver, let me sit with him to learn the process of weaving these beautiful scarves. I wasn’t so good at it to tell you the truth, but as we sat behind a loom, I tried to get into the grove, sending yarn back and forth to create a new pattern.
There are several steps involved in making these materials. Workers must pick seeds out of the cotton, then soften it with their hands, spin it into yarn and use the loom to weave various colors into patterns.
It’s not just textiles that artists are creating at Muya, but also pottery. Many of the intricate and traditional works are exported to Holland and beyond.
You can see some of their beautiful work at the Muya website and in my upcoming videos, where we’ll showcase our behind the scenes tour of Muya.
Learn more about travel to Ethiopia at Travel Ethiopia, who can help you plan a travel adventure and vacation to Ethiopia.
