
To commemorate special occasions like marriages and the birth of children, Sudanese women adorn themselves with long, flowing scarves traditionally referred to as ferkas. For centuries, Egyptian weavers in Naqada, a region renowned for this craft, supplied their neighbors with these celebratory accessories. However, when a trade embargo was enacted against Sudan, rural artisans from the Naqada Silk Weaving Project lost a large portion of their business and struggled to subsist on seasonal tourist sales. The decision to begin trading with the Egypt Craft Center and Fair Trade Egypt turned out to be their saving grace, and, today, 70 members are able to support their families thanks to fair wages and welfare benefits. You can find their famous ferkas at Original Good.