Carpet of life creates an economic stimulus for women in the Sahara.

Carpet of Life in numbers

4 Groups of women
56 Weavers
3 Villages: M'hamid, Zawia, Oulad Mahyia
4 Moroccan coordinators
2 Belgian coordinators
1 Dutch coordinator

3 Board members

2 Advisory board members

220,000 Euros contributed to the economy of the M'hamid el Ghizlane region by paying weavers and coordinators, purchasing materials, transport with local carriers, renting a local office, and other resources that make Carpet of Life possible.

Empowerment

The story of Carpet of Life is about so much more than carpets. It is a story of a Saharan tradition, with a leading role for the women of the M'hamid El Ghizlane region.

Carpet of Life is a non-profit organization, founded with the mission to generate income for women living in the scarcity of the Sahara. We pay fair wages directly to the weavers, without any intervention of a middleman. We also offer the weavers training courses, given by our local coordinators and international experts.

The carpet weavers live in the oasis of M'hamid El Ghizlane, a region in the south of Morocco, which includes ten different villages. Through Carpet of Life, the traditions and crafts from this region are preserved and innovation takes place through new, inspiring international collaborations. With each carpet, the weavers use their personal creativity and make a connection with the rest of the world.

1 Music album by singer Oum inspired by the resilience of the women of Carpet of Life

4 Presentations to an international audience during the Festival sur le Niger, Segou, Mali
6 International design workshops

9 Presentations to international audiences during the Taragalte Festival in M'hamid and Ghizlane
12 Brand collaborations including Daily Paper , RVDK , Fred & Ginger

6500 kg of textile given new life

Upcycling

Every year, we throw away an average of 34 kg of textiles per person. The amount of textile waste has increased by 811% between 1960 and 2015. The majority of the clothing we throw away ends up in a landfill or incinerator. Less than 1% of textiles and clothing are actually recycled into new textiles and clothing.

Carpet of Life gives old textiles a new life. Old textiles become the raw material for every Carpet of Life. In an age of disposable and seasonal clothing, we upcycle fabrics into an interior item or art object that lasts much longer. With every carpet we make, we save fabrics from the huge textile waste mountain.

Making an impact as a brand

We help companies to use their overstock and residual textiles. Some examples are acoustic panels and unique art objects. Want to know more? Contact us to find out how we can give your old textiles a second life.

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