Stories

Aziz is one of our all time favorite textile trader. He has been working in the textile and antique business more than anyone we know. He has the most beautiful...

Nehla Solak is an artisan of handicrafts. She was born in 1969 in Antakya, the most beautiful place, she tells me. This ancient town is located along the banks of...

This is a short story about crafts, history, and the aesthetics of Hatay from three artisans. Yılmaz, Şadi, and Nehla joined the Oesterland family in 2020. Oesterland was founded to...

By Idil Asan  The Turkish coastal town Antakya (Antioch) located on the banks of the Orontes River to the south-east of Turkey, bordering Syria, is often described as having been...

By Idil Asan  Food is part of our identities, our history, culture, and politics. For Palestinians in exile, it is a thread that connects to their homeland, an instrument for...

On the 8th of March we celebrate the women of the world – and then, we fight for their rights every day after that.  Many of the women we work...

By Idil Asan Idil Asan is a PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, where she researches humanitarian praxis and the politics of assistance.  It has been more than a...

Today, 15th August 2022, marks one year since the Taliban took over Afghanistan. In the beginning we had a lot of uncertainty about the new political system, and how our...

Østerland is built on four fundamental principles, which has shaped our business model of selling unique, handmade, and sustainable craftsmanship from the Middle East and Central Asia, to have a...

In March 2021 Østerland started the production of our jewelleries and other exciting products from Kabul in Afghanistan. The intention was to bring beautiful design to the global market, while supporting...

Craftsmanship is important, because it is associated with memory, nostalgia, traditions, history, and an important source of livelihood for many men and women across the Middle East. International trade is...