ISHKAR's End of Year - 2023

Dear Friends,When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban two years ago, we faced a stark choice. Many called for businesses to stop trading with Afghanistan, fearing trade would legitimise the Taliban go...

Letters from the Road | ISHKAR in Hunza 2022

I recently returned from leading ISHKAR's latest trip to Northern Pakistan co-hosted by Matthieu Paley and our Hunza-based guide Noor-ul Amin.The trip was full of spontaneous, surprising moments, ...

Another Victim Afghanistan Cannot Afford To Loose

In August this year, history repeated itself. As the Taliban entered Kabul, Mansoor and his young family faced an impossible choice. Leave behind their beautiful village, their friends and family, ...

ISHKAR X Skateistan | Behind the Design

We're delighted to have joined forces with Skateistan to create a limited capsule collection of handmade rugs and tapestries, celebrating the courage and creativity of Afghanistan’s young skaters.

Chunky Rings | The story behind the stone

Afghanistan is home to some of the most diverse and complex geology in the world. Its mountains hold an abundance of precious and semi-precious stones, a richness that has shaped a unique culture o...

Bamiyan Turquoise | Afghanistan’s hidden gem

Bamiyan Turquoise is one of our favourite gemstones to use in our jewellery collections. Though its scientific name is chrysocolla, in Afghanistan it is better known by another name.

Afghanistan's Glassblowing Legacy

Every piece in our glassware collection is made by the last remaining glassblowers in Afghanistan - Ghulam Sekhi and his small team of master craftsmen in Herat, Afghanistan.

The strange history of Afghanistan's poppy flower

The poppy is not just a flower. It is a lens through which we see how Afghanistan was shaped, exploited, and continually redefined. It tells the story of the nation itself.

How to hang a flatweave rug

If you’ve been wondering what the easiest way to hang a rug on a wall is, there are a few different approaches you can take. We’ve outlined four methods for hanging a flatweave rug safely and secur...

Samangan: the city of Rostam and Sohrab

You’ve probably never heard of this city in Afghanistan — but it shaped one of Persia’s greatest literary tragedies.

The mother of all slipper-ups

Having worked with our artisan partners for almost a decade now, they consistently meet the high bar we set for them. But in our quest for quality, we have learned some rough lessons along the way.

Kabul’s Forgotten Legends | Shabnam Nasimi

The Kabul you haven’t heard of; where storytelling shapes its soul.