In 2024, we opened our own Atelier in Herat, Afghanistan, in collaboration with a local partner. The Atelier is part of our ambition to support female Afghan artisans who live and work under extremely difficult conditions.

Should we open a Atelier?

This is what our production manager in Afghanistan, Zhilla, asked. She spent a lot of her time driving around to various homes in the province to quality control, follow up, and collect orders. She had to do this because many of the women couldn’t afford to pay for the travel back and forth.

It seemed like a big project for our small company, but also an incredibly important one—if it succeeded. After many good conversations, considerations, and investigations, we decided to realize our shared dream of gathering all the artisans under one roof.

And we did it in 2024! We found a location, bought equipment, furnishings, and sewing machines, and the creative gathering place became a reality.

Stronger Together in Craftsmanship

The artisans who use the Atelier come from very different backgrounds. Some are trained in handicrafts and design techniques, while others are self-taught with no formal education. Some have good IT skills and knowledge of social media platforms, while others haven’t learned to read.

We see this as one of the great strengths of the community because the women have direct access to learning and mentoring from each other. They are part of an inspiring environment where they can explore and learn new crafting techniques, share ideas, pool resources, hone their skills, and develop their talents.

The Atelier also helps and encourages them to use sustainable materials. They can share and recycle together.

In addition to professional support and guidance, the women can also provide financial support to each other, for example by sharing their networks and promoting each other's products to potential buyers.

The Atelier gives them the opportunity to showcase their work in the area, thus gaining more exposure and building a customer base.

Cultural Heritage Is Woven, Breathed, and Shaped Today

The knowledge-sharing and experience development taking place at the Atelier helps realize one of Østerland’s main goals: the preservation of cultural heritage. Through this community, we ensure that techniques and methods are preserved, refined, and passed down to future generations.

When there’s a need to train the artisans in specific embroidery techniques and design methods, courses are developed and held on-site. This is also a way to ensure that the women’s skills are developed and strengthened, and it’s made possible because they are now gathered in one place.

A Place to Recharge

For us, the greatest benefit of the Atelier is that we create a sanctuary where the women can meet and talk to each other outside of the home. A place where they have the opportunity to speak and move more freely than in other parts of society.

A space has been created for the women where they can pursue their passion while earning an income and becoming more independent or helping their families with living costs. We are proud to be part of running a place for reflection, creative expression, and social gathering.

The Future Belongs to Afghan Women

Our dream for the workshop is that it will assist with orders for large Danish companies requiring bespoke products. We aim to bridge the gap between skilled, yet overlooked, artisans and Danish companies that wish to produce, for example, merchandise, in a sustainable and unique way, with social responsibility at the forefront.

Contact us if you’d like to learn more about opportunities for collaboration!