Our Craftswomen

From the high mountain valley of Darrai Noor to cosmopolitan
Kabul, Rubia has trained and employed hundreds of women in fine
embroidery skills.

Rubia prides itself on working within the family context, respectful of Afghan culture and values. In rural Darrai Noor local tradition dictates that women’s faces not be seen in public. Proudly, Rubia women show off their embroideries, wearing the traditional chadri or burqa.

For most of these women working for Rubia has been the first opportunity to earn an income.  They are hardworking and enthusiastic about their embroidery, knowing that they are preserving a cultural tradition passed from the hands of mothers to daughters. The income they earn helps support their families; it goes towards purchasing food, medicines, clothing, and shelter.

Women do their work at home, as time permits, between domestic chores, and are paid by the piece when their work is completed.

Rubia provides high quality materials for embroidery. Workshops provide training in all the skills needed to create fine functional and ornamental textiles that reflect the Afghan aesthetic.

For many Afghan women this stitched signature represents a new skill, learning to read and write. Their signed work is marketed in Afghanistan and in the US through direct sales at shows and fairs and through retail shops and wholesale vendors.

Back to top