“As I grew up, I knew I wanted to help people in a sustainable way. So, I decided the best way to achieve this was to give people jobs.”
Casablanca, one of Morocco’s ancient cities, is known for its beautiful and intricate richness in colors and patterns. Craftmanship on the street corners reflects a rich artisan heritage, yet the rise of mass-production is making it difficult for female artisans to turn their skills into profitable businesses. Fadwa Moussaif and Amal Kenzari decided to put their energy together to make a difference. After visiting several peri-rural villages and interacting with the communities, they concluded that 20% of women in the villages were experienced weavers but weren’t actively weaving. Connect local craftmanship to modern fashion and a touch of entrepreneurial spirit, and IDYR was born!
IDYR is a Moroccan brand that brings the traditional Boucherouite weaving technique and it’s values back to life through the creation of ethical, sustainable and modern fashion accessories that are 100% handmade. IDYR’s goal is to design and manufacture products for daily use, that respect the environment and social conditions of the female artisans. They do this by collecting scraps from large clothing and textile factories, then using those unwanted, clean materials to create beautiful products crafted by local artisans like handbags, rugs, clothing and pillows. In the process IDYR has recycled an average of 4.2 tons of textile falls to day.
“At IDYR, we offer the artisans a flexible work schedule, a nearby work location and we provide training to develop their skills in order to create a higher quality of Boucherouite. In the current market, we offer the highest quality of materials, and the most thin Boucherouite available. The artisans’ self-esteem has increased tremendously and they take much pride in their work. They can become independent and feel free, useful and interesting.”
Due to COVID-19, many business operations have been cancelled, including training workshops for artisans, and the demand for fashion accessories is significantly lower, which has impacted the local communities in many ways. That’s why impact entrepreneurs Fadwa and Amal decided to sell their new collection, partially through crowdfunding campaign Wuluj, with the objective of raising 30.0000 dirham. We are very proud to announce the goal has been surpassed and over 100 local families will be supported!
We are in awe of the many ways that IDYR contributes to Moroccan society, culture and economy in a sustainable way, keep up the great work! We support this #fashionrevolution!
