Story
HERATI GLASSWARE
For two thousand years Herat’s distinctive coloured glass was traded along the length of the Silk Road. Mr Nasarullah and his son Khairullah are one of the last in this ancient line of glassblowers. In a mudbrick workshop near Herat’s ancient citadel, their work is keeping this precious industry alive.
THE DESIGN
These rippled glasses came to life after an act of gorilla marketing by Mr Nasarullah. Smuggled into one of our orders of classic round and tall tumblers, we found a unique glass with a new technique. We loved it so much, we then worked with Mr Nasarullah and his son to develop the design. The result. This new collection of short rippled tumblers.
THE TECHNIQUE
Mr Nasarullah makes glass in much the same way as it has always been made. He grinds down raw materials like recycled glass, quartz and natural oxides together to create the vibrant colours which once made Herat’s glass so famous. He blows each individual glass by hand, and fires them in a traditional mud brick kiln.
THE IMPACT
With the local market for hand blown glass drying up due to the arrival of cheap Chinese glass in Afghanistan, Mr Nasarullah is struggling to find new apprentices. Each sale of Herati glass will help build the stability he needs for his business to grow.