Handmade from Tanzania: reviving a dying craft
Ireland’s strong heritage of crafting with textiles, weaving and woodwork is something that connects our diaspora around the world. Rooted in collaboration and innovation, our traditions have taken on many modern forms and have been adapted in communities across the globe.
Dubliner Helen Espey, founder of Handmade from Tanzania, works in Dar es Salaam with highly skilled Tanzanian craftspeople to create 100% Tanzanian cotton fabrics through looming.
Looming is an ancient craft, where you use a frame to hold threads or yarn in place to weave or knit fabric, often for clothing, accessories, or homeware.
With a desire to reviving a dying craft and improve the economic welfare of all staff, Handmade from Tanzania is now a flourishing business with a bright future ahead.
Read more from Helen Espey on her story, building Handmade from Tanzania
“What was meant to be a six-month stay soon turned into something much more enduring and life changing. In 1993, I first visited Tanzania, when my husband was working in Dar es Salaam. By 2000, with a young family and a new home to furnish, I found myself frustrated by the lack of sustainable furniture options. So, I began working with local carpenters, using reclaimed dhow wood from old boats to create furniture based on my own designs.
Having studied Architectural Technology at Technological University Dublin (TUD) on Bolton Street in Dublin, I had a solid foundation in design, which helped guide this early creative journey. As the years went on, our venture naturally evolved. What began as a furniture project grew into something much broader. We took a bold step into textile making, building our first handlooms from local timber.
“It started with a vision to make handwoven sheets, and although the process was slow and fraught with challenges, we pressed on. Over time, we expanded into fashion and home textiles, entering Swahili Fashion Week and continuing to produce sheets, duvets, and pillowcases.”
We work exclusively with Tanzanian-grown cotton, which is spun into yarn specially for us. We dye this yarn using both natural plant-based dyes (mostly leaves) and eco-friendly alternatives, creating our own distinctive colour palette. Each loom is a feat of craftsmanship, holding over 4,000 threads, each carefully threaded by hand through a complex system of needles.
There are countless ways to set up a loom and a vast array of weaves to explore, allowing for truly unique designs.
Today, we create beautiful, handwoven textiles and garments in collaboration with a skilled team of artisans. We believe deeply in ethical production and that the fruits of our labour should be shared fairly. That’s why we are committed to paying a fair living wage to all our staff.
This journey has been one of creativity, adaptation, and community and we’re just getting started.”
- Helen Espey, founder, Handmade from Tanzania