Mass production replaces traditional handicraft

Today, as in the past, the men usually work on the sheepskin, goatskin or cowhide while the women do the exquisite embroidery work before the bags are sewn together by the men. The embroidering of a bag can be very elaborate and take several days. Each stitch must be precisely placed and you have to look very closely to see that each bag possesses the authentic individual features which turn it into a distinctive item. This old handicraft of bag embroidery is in danger. Modern developments have had a significant impact on handmade traditional products and the Berber culture, the local market has been lost and local craftsmen cannot compete with industrial mass production. To ensure that the knowledge and skills do not become lost forever, ABURY opens sewing schools and trains a new generation of sewers. After successfully completing the course, each graduate will be employed as a sewer and produce new BERBERBAGS.