An Interview with Darzah

Empowering Palestinian women through embroidery

Darzah is a fair trade certified social enterprise that sells hand-embroidered shoes and accessories made by talented women artisans in the West Bank. They have been crowdfunding successfully on LaunchGood since 2016, so we sat down with them (virtually of course!) to find out more about everything that goes into their brand and vision for an inspired future.

1) What advice do you have for others looking to start a social enterprise like your own?

Starting a social enterprise is one of the most rewarding experiences. There is nothing quite like seeing a passion turn into a business, especially one that is making a difference in the world. Despite all of the joy that comes from working to build a social enterprise, it can be incredibly challenging because it is extremely time consuming and demanding. There are hiccups and road blocks along the way. People may doubt your abilities and at moments you may even doubt yourself. Still, with an honest perspective and a supportive community, there is little that can stop you on your journey to creating a successful social enterprise.

Luckily, starting a social enterprise means you have already found something you are passionate about and a situation that you are committed to improving. In the midst of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, the most important thing is to not lose sight of why you began and what you are working towards. While facing the challenges associated with starting and maintaining a social enterprise, the best thing you can do is keep your eyes fixed on what inspired you to create such a business in the first place. Those passions and beliefs are the key to overcoming any issues that may arise.

it’s incredibly important to reach out to others for advice and direction.

Another necessity of starting a social enterprise is having an unwavering support system. Although you may start your project on your own, it’s incredibly important to reach out to others for advice and direction. Sometimes, it can be difficult to reach out to strangers and follow up with connections, but it will most certainly pay off in the long run. Even if your organization or company is totally unique, there is so much you can learn from others’ experiences. It is of the utmost importance that you do not let fear stop you from asking for advice. One of the invaluable upsides of social enterprises is that everyone is working to further a cause. Chances are they will see the value of what you’re working towards and will want to be a part of your success story!

2) Why should consumers opt for fair trade products over fast fashion?

The reasons why consumers ought to opt for fair trade and ethically made products over fast fashion are endless, as there are a multitude of reasons why people choose to shop responsibly. Whether one’s motivation to evade fast fashion stems from environmental concerns, human rights reasons, or a number of other causes, each purchase helps to make the world a more aware and intentional place.

By purchasing fair trade, we are transforming the power of fashion. No longer is fashion just a matter of identity or status, it is a matter of values.

The diversity of the fair trade world is truly encouraging because it means that there is a place for everyone and a cause that everyone can identify with and support. This is precisely why we have so much hope for the future of the fashion world. It seems that people are not choosing to participate in and perpetuate fast fashion because they do not care about the environment or the people behind the products. Rather, most people do not yet realize how bad this whole situation truly is. With this realization, the responsibility is passed to those who are aware of these realities. Every time you purchase and use an ethical product, it’s a chance to tell the story of where it came from, who made it, and why it matters. By purchasing fair trade, we are transforming the power of fashion. No longer is fashion just a matter of identity or status, it is a matter of values.

Luckily, it seems that the world is waking up to the bleak realities of the fast fashion industry. With each new year, there are more and more people calling for transparency and accountability. With the amount of companies working to produce their products responsibly, it is impossible for the fashion industry to remain the same.

3) How do you hope to advocate for Palestinians through your brand?

Darzah is a humanitarian not-for-profit organization and ethical fashion brand specializing in Palestinian “tatreez” embroidery, a centuries-old art form, traditionally passed down from mother to daughter. Our mission is twofold: 1) to create economic opportunities for refugee and low income women artisans, and 2) to celebrate tatreez embroidery and Palestinian cultural heritage. It is because of our unique mission that we are able to partner with a larger and more diverse audience.

It is through the products and our story that people are engaged, as different kinds of people can identify with Palestinians and are interested to learn about our culture and people. Our designs speak to a large spectrum, including those who are well aware of Palestinian heritage and individuals who are interested in handmade products but may have little-to-no connection to Palestine. Whether someone chooses to support Darzah due to their love for Palestine, their love for beautiful items, or some combination of the two, they are still furthering Darzah’s core mission and goals.

At Darzah, we believe that fashion is uniquely positioned to advocate for Palestinians, as it is not overtly political. We exist to elevate marginalized women in the West Bank by providing employment and training opportunities. Through this reliable and empowering work, our women artisans are better able to provide for themselves and their families. Furthermore, we strive to preserve and promote traditional Palestinian tatreez embroidery, a pillar of Palestinian culture that is passed from one generation to another. Since the start, we have seen what a powerful combination this is.

4) What is Darzah’s vision of an inspired future?

Our vision for an inspired future works at different levels. First, we are working to empower our artisans in the West Bank to envision and seek their own inspired futures. For so many marginalized groups across the world, including our Palestinian artisans, their dreams for the future are limited by the constraints of the present, mostly the necessity to provide for themselves and their families. When people do not have a reliable and empowering job, their hopes for the future can be seriously stunted. However, with a steady living income and a supportive work environment, we have witnessed a transformation in many of our artisans, whereby they are empowered to create new dreams for themselves and their children. Other women in the community are witnessing this transformation and approaching us for employment. This speak volumes to our mission.

Even with this progress, we have realized that our training should include skills beyond tatreez. Our women artisans are interested in learning how to make the shoes and bags themselves, not just contributing the tatreez pieces. Offering training in these additional skills of shoemaking and leather working requires an additional training program, entailing professional resources, and an entirely new operation made up of a new space, machines, and materials.

Our artisans have given us newfound inspiration for the future. Our new goal as a social enterprise is to equip our women artisans with the knowledge and materials required to make Darzah products from start to finish, so that we no longer need to rely on volunteers or part-time employees. In addition to expanding our capabilities in the West Bank, we are inspiring to create a team that focuses on our internal operations, such as development, marketing, and production, in order that we are are positioned to compete with other ethical brands globally.

For us at Darzah, an inspired future means that all of our employees, including those based in the US and our artisans in the West Bank, feel empowered to dream for the future and take steps towards reaching those goals.

As a social enterprise, we know that we can always be better and do more to operate ethically and sustainably. For us at Darzah, an inspired future means that all of our employees, including those based in the US and our artisans in the West Bank, feel empowered to dream for the future and take steps towards reaching those goals.

At LaunchGood we love sharing stories that inspire our creators, donors, and community to take action. If you have a story that you would like to share to help build an inspired future email us at stories@launchgood.com.

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