Shipping is free to the UK

Handmade in Egypt

The products are handmade in the heart of Cairo by expert and innovative craftswomen. Everything is made from clean waste materials, recycled and turned into useful, beautiful and unique items. The sources are carefully chosen; scraps and offcuts of new fabrics come from textile factories, printed paper from shops and educational establishments. Ties, ringpulls from drink cans and coffee capsules are donated straight to the A.P.E. Nothing comes out of the garbage.

The makers belong to an Egyptian NGO, the Association for the Protection of the Environment (A.P.E.), which has a 40 year history of working alongside the Zabbaleen, the informal garbage collectors’ community. Through the A.P.E.'s development programmes, women especially have become empowered to build better lives for themselves and their families and children.

We buy the products on Fair Trading terms and donate a substantial percentage of our profit to support the A.P.E.'s community projects.

Seasonal ideas

Cards, stocking fillers, bunting and tree decorations can be found in the Decorative and Seasonal section.

Don't stop there - browse through all our sections to get ideas for gifts that are budget friendly and will give some seasonal love back to the community.

Paper-making workshop

Using traditional skills, recycled paper is pulped and remade into a wide range of beautiful handmade stationery items.

Textiles workshop

The craftswomen work co-operatively on site or at home. They drop in for advice and to share skills and ideas for new products.

New Products

Community members are innovative in developing new products

Skilled and empowered

Zabbaleen community members are encouraged to develop their education and careers with the A.P.E. and are involved at every level.

Our products are

Eco-friendly - made from recycled waste materials

Ethically sourced - the makers work with fair trade standards

Handmade skilfully and to high standards

OFFERED POSTAGE FREE TO UK SHOPPERS

Shipping costs will be added at the checkout for all other countries

Beautifully decorative gift bags

skilfully handmade and enhanced

Discarded offcuts of furnishing fabrics

made into useful bags - each one a unique design

Recycled aluminium ring pulls

Discarded drinks can tabs upcycled as decorative containers

Vibrantly colourful, strong rugs

hand woven from offcuts and scraps