Tatreez Mini Purses

These pieces are hand-stitched by six Palestinian women displaced since 1948 Nakba, originally from Yaffa and Lod, not allowed to return or live a normal life due to refugee status, now living in the Al-Wehdat, Al-Yarmouk, and Al-Baqa’a refugee camps in Jordan, resisting and preserving their heritage as part of their daily lives.

Created using traditional Palestinian tatreez, a counted thread embroidery technique. Tatreez is an art form that carries deep cultural meaning and has long served as a form of communication among women.

For generations, tatreez patterns and colours conveyed information about a woman’s village, social status, and important life events. Different regions developed their own recognisable styles. For example: Gaza’s traditional thobes (dresses) are richly embroidered with geometric motifs like the Canaanite Star and “hijab” triangles,  and Ramallah for its brightly colored embroidery on white or black fabrics. These motifs are cultural identifiers that connect the lady to a place, event and memory.

Today tatreez continues as a living practice. Women gather in tatreez circles where they stitch together, share stories and pass the creative craft to younger generations. Within refugee communities this work is also a vital way to preserve culture and history, especially for those displaced since the Nakba.

In 2021 UNESCO recognised Palestinian embroidery as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Your purchase supports the artisans who continue this tradition with care and dedication.

Thank you