Nablus city is historically famous for having a well-established and professional community of craftspeople and producers. Aisha Dweikat takes pride in her city’s heritage and is determined to use her talents in promoting Palestinian culture while contributing to the global efforts towards sustainability and ethical production.
Determined to produce products that help preserve heritage while at the same time protecting the environment, she ventured into the production of environmentally friendly pieces. Aisha had started producing her own line of accessories from silver and olive wood when she was assigned a design consultancy at Jenin Refugee camp. This is where her interest in recycled products was sparked and was keen to design a set of educational tools for refugees using the only materials available, scraps of fabric. Her main objective was to raise awareness on over-consumption behaviours and its negative impacts on the environment. Aisha started introducing olive wood and sponge in her designs and with her team used fabric and leather that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Aisha has a wide range of products such as accessories, bags, cushion covers, table runners and many more eco-friendly products. Aisha Design is also a community project as it provides job opportunities and a steady income to women. All products are handmade and stitched by refugees and low-income women artists in Palestine. In 2015, Aisha Design won the Best Business Plan Award in a local competition and was also nominated for best project in a Mediterranean region award. Aisha is also very active in her community and believes in the power of volunteerism. She makes sure to put aside a portion of the profits she makes to mobilise her community to plant trees. Her future plans include setting up an online shop to promote her eco-friendly products worldwide.
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Products Selling Point: Contact Aisha.
Other Services: Customised items, design consultation, recycled material use.
Volunteering Opportunities: Support with events and tree planting activities.