Mooch and Earl are dressed for the season and ready to join in your holiday festivities!
One of our favorite items currently in the MUTTS Shop is our new, intricately embroidered Christmas ornament set featuring whimsical depictions of our favorite furry duo! We love these ornaments not only because of their unique and colorful designs, but also because of the wonderful story behind how they were made.
These fair-trade, hand-crafted ornaments came from a small, family-owned business just outside Agra, India. (Yesh, that’s where the Taj Mahal is located!)
The business is led by Shahzad Ali, an artisan who goes by the name Naem. Naem and his employees utilize traditional Zardozi or “Zari” hand-embroidery techniques, which date back to the Mughal era or earlier. Originally made with precious metals and stones and used to adorn the walls of royal tents, Zari ornaments and textiles are now crafted using a range of materials, such as copper, cotton, or brass. (Our ornament set was created using blended fabric, exquisite glass beads, and hand-embroidered cotton thread.)
Naem is unable to read or write, as he did not receive schooling as a child, but he has nonetheless transformed his workshop into a successful company with a reputation for quality throughout his village — and across the globe. These successes have resulted in a better quality of life for himself and his employees, and have allowed him to send his own children to school to attain the education and independence which was once out of reach for his family.
Want to learn more about these lovingly hand-crafted ornaments? Visit the MUTTS Shop to fetch a set for yourself or a friend!
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