Empowering artisans to preserve
cultural heritage through ethical craftsmanship

ARTIJAAN collaborates with skilled artisans in Afghanistan to create sustainable livelihood opportunities by making traditional crafts, such as embroidery, woodwork, jewelry, glassware, or rugs.
Our development initiatives include connecting traditional craft makers with conscious buyers across the world. We support the preservation of ancient techniques which make up Afghanistan’s remarkable cultural heritage.
Most of the artisans we work with are skilled artisans but lack access to the international market and the business skills needed to succeed.

Our objective is threefold:
1.) We create products in collaboration with artisans, enabling them to earn fair wages in good working conditions.
2.) We aim to be the bridge that connects these makers to the international market.
3.) We empower artisans to leverage their unique skills. In doing so, they experience a renewed sense of pride and purpose through their work.
The Taliban's return has seen a sharp increase in targeted efforts to remove women from public life. As a result, many women are now forced to work from home.

Despite these challenges, women are committed to continuing their work preserving Afghanistan's cultural heritage. In reclaiming their autonomy, women gain a sense of worth and purpose during these difficult times.
Our women’s embroidery network is a collective of women across Afghanistan who are bound together through their skills with a needle.
Through this partnership we aim to create livelihood opportunities for women, who create delicately stitched designs from within their homes. The finished designs are then sent to Kabul where they are incorporated into beautiful textiles for you to enjoy. In this way, they are able to earn fair wages and provide for their families.

Our network currently spans across several provinces including Faryab, Bamyan, Kabul, Herat, Nuristan, and Balkh. We look forward to expanding this community of creators and seeing more women empowered through meaningful work.
Artijaan collaborates with local artisans who lack access to international markets. By promoting their crafts, our artisan partners preserve their cultural heritage and gain new economic opportunities.

In May 2022, Artijaan supports:
- 7 types of craft production
- 40+ artisan partners (80% being women, across Afghanistan)
- 300+ indirect beneficiaries
- Women’s network
  100 women in 4 provinces: Bamyan, Faryab, Kabul, Balkh
Artijaan collaborates with more than 40 Afghan artisans.
Discover more about them here.

SUN COLLECTION

Jewelry

The sun is a universal symbol of light and life. This ancient lifeforce unites cultures under the banner of luminosity and warmth. This collection was designed with new beginnings in mind. Just as the sun rises each day, we hope these pieces will fill you with a sense of optimism and light when you put them on.

A woman with long brown hair styled in a braid, wearing gold earrings, looking at the camera in warm sunlight, with a background of beige curtains.

Earrings - Sunna - Silver gold plated - 85$

Profile of a woman with dark hair styled in a braid, wearing earrings, and looking to the left, illuminated by warm sunlight.

A woman with long dark hair braided over her shoulder, wearing large gold dangle earrings, looking out a window with a calm expression.

Earrings - Surya - Silver gold plated 85$ - Silver 80$

Gold dangling earrings with diamond-shaped design, placed on a blue circular box, on a beige fabric surface.

Earrings Clarissa - Aquamarine - Silver gold plated 85$ - Silver 80$

Close-up of a person's neck wearing a gold necklace with a blue gemstone pendant, partially covered by a white shirt.

Necklace - Compass + chain - Silver (no Silver gold plated) 60$

TURKMEN COLLECTION

Jewelry

While exploring the eclectic offerings of Kabul’s antique shops, we came across vintage Turkmen jewelry, an ornate style of metalwork worn by Afghanistan’s nomadic communities. Turkmen jewelry is crafted for both aesthetic and spiritual purposes. Silver and semi-precious stones such as carnelian and turquoise are often incorporated into the jewelry and are believed to ward off evil spirits and illness.

Close-up side profile of a woman with tan skin, dark hair, wearing a large gold earring with a blue gemstone, looking to the right.

Earrings - Ersari - Silver gold plated - 85$

A young woman with dark hair styled in a braid, wearing earrings and a light-colored top, standing near a window with curtains backlit by sunlight, looking to the side.

SHORO COLLECTION

Jewelry

The Shoro Collection, meaning “beginning” in Dari, is where it all started. Last August, just after the fall of Kabul, we selected our favourite pieces from artisan's stock to help them earn revenue during these difficult times. Shoro is also a celebration of the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli. This azure blue rock has been mined in Afghanistan for more than 6,000 years.

Earrings - Anar - Silver or Silver gold plated - 50$

Chain & Pendant Anar - Silver or Silver gold plated - 50$

Ring - Nargis - (See options in the form) - 40$

EMBROIDERY

In contrast to the bleak legacy of war, the practice of embroidery brings delicate beauty and vibrant color to the most unexpected of places. The elaborate designs and impressive precision of Afghan embroidery are a testament to the skill and keen aesthetic eye of artisans. Our growing network of women embroiderers helps women across Afghanistan earn a living working from home.

SUZANI

Suzani is the general term for a type of large, embroidered textile from mainly Uzbek communities in Central Asia, and found in Afghanistan. Its embroidery has different meaning and colours like the pomegranates symbolizing fertility.
Handmade by women in Faryab - Northern Afghanistan

RUG MAKING

Featuring bold patterns and vibrant colors, Kilim weaving is a masterclass in creating objects that are both beautiful and durable.
Artijaan collaborates with ACTED to create livelihood opportunities and value ethical craftsmanship by offering a range of kilims made by women in Northern Afghanistan.
Stay tuned for the launch of the collection through this live catalogue.