Zarif Design
Zarif Design is a social enterprise with the mission to empower the artisans of Afghanistan through training, employment opportunities, and enhanced economic development. Zarif’s workshop has been a safe environment where women can work. The group of dedicated artisans have used their talents to promote the beauty and positive image of a country usually depicted for its violence and misery. Thus, dignity, confidence, and cultural identity thrive. Zarif persisted through 17 years of conflicts and instability. As a social enterprise, it has never missed a month of payment for its team. Social and cultural goals were met by organizing events and sales, both locally and internationally, with the generous support of volunteers. Its business model is premised on fair trade practices, providing equal and living wage employment for men and women, the use of natural dyes, and honors the ‘slow’ production modes of traditional handcrafted work. Zarif Design’s pledge to Afghanistan and its people and culture is fundamental to its mission. The Zarif line relies on traditional craftsmanship, representing centuries of cultural history and development in danger of being lost in the face of continuous conflicts and war.
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