Shughol Ideen (literal meaning Hand made) was established in response to a gap in the furniture making market that Jameel Daraghmeh and his friends identified after graduating. They realised that furniture was almost always exported from abroad and lacked any distinct characters and features that are inspired by the Palestinian rich cultural heritage, artisanship and distinct identity. Jameel notes how there aren’t any vocational schools in Palestine in upholstery and wood works.
Along with his friend and partner Mohanad Al Azzeh, he set up Hand Made and began experimenting with furniture making in their workshop in Kobar in 2017. Developing organically, the project was limited to the production of furniture items for friends, but soon the word got out and more people liked their work and began making orders. Today, the workshop employs 6 people who continue experimenting and organically developing ideas for new products in wood works, calligraphy and painting. Although the products they create have a very distinct Palestinian characters and design, Jameel shares that the main challenge for the project remains its dependence on exported raw materials such as wood and paint. Despite this, Hand Made produces some items using local materials, such as olive wood and limestone. Moreover, they have also invested in producing items using scrap materials, such as wood and used fabric. As they venture into the production of children’s toys and furniture, they explicitly use natural dyes and non-chemical ingredients.
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Products Selling Points: On location, online.
Other Services: Customised furniture design.