SOFRA Textiles Creates Blankets, Towels, & Throws You Can Feel Good About

We are thrilled to welcome back SOFRA Textiles to the Firefly Handmade Holiday Market this weekend, November 20 & 21, on Old South Gaylord Street, Wash Park, Denver. Using 100% organic cotton and linen with plant-based colors, SOFRA Textiles makes Fair Trade hand loomed blankets, towels, throws, shawls, and more that you can feel good about.

How did you come up with your business name? What’s the story?
The company is named after a tradition in my hometown in Tunisia. Sofra is a Turkish word meaning dinner table and is often expanded in some countries to mean a piece of cloth spread on the floor on which dishes of food are placed at meal times. In my hometown, residents who were mostly farmers and fishermen used to make a big meal every Friday for the poor, which they called Sofra. Sofra Textile is a mixture of cultures between all the Mediterranean-Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, France, Malta, Sicily, Greece and Egypt. 

Tell us about SOFRA’s foutas. How can they 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. Knowing all of our amazing textiles are Fair Trade and are made with only organic natural fibers (cotton and linen) make them even more amazing!

Where do the designs come from?
Our textiles are woven through a combination of southern Tunisian weaving techniques with color combinations inspired by traditional fabrics of Sicily. They come in beautiful colors for your home, a day at the beach or during travel. They add a splash of color to your table or living room for the holidays and can be switched out seasonally. Our textiles are hand loomed, quick to dry and will last a lifetime.

How do you hope to impact your community in Tunisia & Sicily?
I work with my 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, our 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.

Connect with SOFRA Textiles at Firefly Handmade Holiday Market, November 20 & 21, on Old South Gaylord Street, Washington Park, Denver.