HOW ONE MAN IS KEEPING THE ART OF LOOM WEAVING IN SYRIA ALIVE
When traveling to a new city or country, you might notice tiny pieces of culture embedded in the scenery and atmosphere around you. In coastal California cities, you can probably find a house or two with sandy surfboards and towels on the front porch, reflecting the buzzing surf scene that has become a part of beachy Californian culture. For hundreds of years in Hama, Syria, a rich culture was built around the traditional wooden loom and textile weaving.
While our artisan partner, Abdullah, runs the only weaving workshop remaining in Hama, there used to be over 850 workshops across the city, all of which worked on traditional looms. Many of these workshops were actually located inside people’s houses, as families practiced this now-endangered craft to make a living.
“Back then, there wasn’t a single home in town where you couldn’t Find a traditional wooden loom.”
Weaving on the wooden loom
"Of course, these looms aren’t unique to Syria and have been around for ages,” says Abdullah. The first loom is thought to have been built in Egypt in around 4000 BCE.
“Textile weaving on looms became a traditional Syrian craft back in the days of the old Silk Road...”
…when merchants came all the way from China to western Syria to buy beautiful cotton, silk, and wool textiles
Since the automatic power loom was invented and introduced to the Syrian textile industry, many artisans and local businesses have moved away from the traditional loom, threatening the loss of centuries-old craftsmanship and culture. Traditional looms have become so far from the norm, that Abdullah’s workshop even builds its own looms now from local wood.
Thankfully, Abdullah’s family weaving workshop has stood the test of time and continues to produce beautiful cotton textiles, staying true to their old traditions of using a wooden loom, high-quality organic cotton from across Syria, and hand making each piece with love. Like a fingerprint, no two handmade towels are exactly the same; that’s what makes them so special. Support Abdullah’s family and craft by purchasing your own Mint + Laurel textiles, which can be used as towels or lightweight blankets for a fall evening.