Native Naseej is a socially responsible business that aims to revive the threatened native Palestinian craft of rug weaving through optimizing access to the market by employing best-practice marketing strategies and technologies.
Native Naseej specializes in new, vintage, and antique Palestinian Kilims (woven rugs and carpets) that are known for their warm rich colours and homey character. The carpets that are handpicked and sold by Native Naseej tell the story of the weavers who make them, like Om Issa, who is featured in this guide (see page.131). Native Naseej’s vision is to market Palestinian carpets that are one-of-a-kind and hand-woven from 100% natural wool. Native Naseej was founded by two young Jerusalemites, Ihab Barakat and Shadi Qawasmi, who are committed to increasing the demand for these rugs to help preserve this Palestinian heritage craft and encourage further investments in its development.
Native Naseej believes in empowering women, especially from marginalized communities, who have no alternative access to work. By maintaining a fair price for the weavers, they also promote value and appreciation for this skill craft. Additionally, they have a committed to contributing 10% of their profits to the benefit of the communities they are working with.