Sofra Returns to Spring Firefly with Colorful New Textiles

Born of the traditions of Tunisia and patterns of Sicily, Sofra Textiles is returning to Firefly Handmade Spring Market, April 30-May 1 at Twenty-Ninth Street in Boulder, CO. Sofra owner Armine Mansour will be bringing his multi-use foutas, textiles made from organic cotton and linen in a range of colors, patterns, and sizes. If you haven’t discovered all the ways to use foutas, be sure to stop by Sofra Textiles booth for a demonstration!

Will you share with us what foutas are and how they can be used?

Fautas are sarongs originally for use at the beaches along the Mediterranean in Tunisia, Sicily and the South of France. Now they have multiple uses including blankets, beach towels, table covers, scarves or design accents like throws for the sofa or bed. All of Sofra Textiles are Fair Trade and made with only organic natural fibers

How did Sofra Textiles come to be?

It’s a complicated history! Amine’s uncle Karim is his business partner in Teboulba, Tunisia. Karim’s father Flavio was a teacher from Palermo, Sicily who moved to Tunisia to teach French. While there, Flavio became fascinated by the weaving of the Jewish community and learned their weaving methods. Karim learned the trade from his father and moved to Palermo, Sicily to open his own shop with a friend, incorporating Sicilian culture into his designs.

By 1987, Karim had returned to Teboulba, weaving foutas through a combination of southern Tunisian weaving techniques with color combinations inspired by traditional fabrics of Sicily. After learning the business from his uncle, Amine moved to the United States in 2014 and was encouraged by friends to sell foutas here. He established his own business and named it Sofra Textiles after a tradition in his hometown in Tunisia. Sofra is a Turkish word meaning dinner table and is often expanded in some countries as a piece of cloth spread on the floor on which dishes of food are placed at meal times. His town residents who are mostly farmers and fishermen used to make a big meal every Friday for the poor which they called Sofra.

Tell us more about the fair trade aspects of Sofra Textiles?

Amine works with his uncle Karim to ensure the payment of fair trade wages to the indigenous workers in Tunisia and Sicily who weave the Sofra foutas. As a result, the textiles have garnered the Fair Trade designation that help you make a difference in the everyday lives of people as they build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Visit and shop with Sofra Textiles at our Spring Market, April 30 & May 1, at Twenty Ninth Street in Boulder!

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