Ethical Fashion Initiative
ZANAN HERAT SILK
Zanan Herat Silk is working with the Ethical Fashion Initiative
(EFI) project in Afghanistan, which is funded by the European Union and specifically targets job creation for returning migrants and displaced people.
Intro Video
2 Min 05 Sec
The EFI Mission
I am really happy working with Zanan Herat Silk. Since I started working here, I have learned a lot of things, like using dyes. One day I’d like to own a farm in my village. I’d hire women and encourage them to work outside the home as well.
ZAHRA QURBANI
Vice President Zanan Herat
Empowering Afghan Women
A Legacy Woven in Silk
In the bustling looms of Herat, Afghanistan, women are reclaiming their heritage and redefining empowerment through the delicate art of silk weaving. This isn’t just a craft—it’s a symbol of resilience, elegance, and a centuries-old tradition of beauty and strength. Each thread spun is not only a testament to the artistry of Afghan women but also a story of hope and independence.
Silk has always been more than a fabric. For centuries, it has been synonymous with sophistication, allure, and a quiet confidence that transcends cultures. Its smooth, lustrous texture exudes a timeless sensuality, gracing the skin with a touch as gentle as a whisper. This natural elegance makes silk an enduring symbol of grace and femininity, deeply cherished by those who wear it.
See Our Catalog
Discover The Fabric Of Your Dreams! Explore Our Latest Collections
Transform your style with elegance and comfort. Browse our newest fabric range, crafted to suit every season and occasion.
More and better jobs for women
750 women paid $4 each to become Zanan Herat Silk shareholders. Women are central to our work, involved in all company activities, including management and on the board. 750 women started by rearing silk cocoons, earning a good income from this work and embarking on a journey with Zanan Herat Silk that is full of opportunities.
Women’s empowerment and self-reliance
Good jobs for rural Afghan women means greater economic empowerment, self-reliance and active participation in society. Training from Zanan Herat Silk on the EFI code of conduct, Human Rights, Safety and Personal Security, gender Equality and Female Literacy all serve to reinforce their empowerment and self-reliance.
Reviving and Developing silk production
Afghanistan lost many of its silk farmers in over 40 years of conflict, and most silk cocoons were exported for silk production. Zanan Herat Silk encourages women to take up silk farming, distributing silk worm seed boxes in Zenda Jan. They now produce over 150,000 kg of silk cocoons, half of which stays in Afghanistan, where other women spin and weave it into superb fabrics.
Environmental Protection
Zanan Herat Silk uses solar and wind energy, where possible. It encourages farmers and villagers to think sustainably, to ensure wells replenish themselves, use water-efficient drip irrigation, and plant mulberry trees - 10,000 this year in Zenda Jan - to provide food for silk worms, shade for other plants, and clean air for local people, all the while capturing co2 to combat climate change.
Reducing Poverty and Social Inequalities
Sustainable agricultural practices, jobs and empowerment for women, education for everyone… all of these lead to more peaceful, harmonious communities. Working with gender and legal experts, our actions are designed to make a practical difference on the ground and to reduce poverty and social disparities.
Our Reasons
Five Reasons to Source From Zanan Herat Silk
Experience unmatched quality and craftsmanship with Zanan Herat Silk—your trusted source for premium silk.
Our Sponsors
Supported by our valued sponsors, driving success together!
Our Products
Types of Silk
Discover the diverse varieties of silk that cater to every need and preference.
" Silk "
is a natural protein fibre, quite similar to human skin, and because of this silk is hypoallergenic and an ideal second skin. In summer, it is cooling and absorbs body moisture, allowing your skin to breath. In winter, it’s warming and not bulky, ideal for underwear.
Despite appearances, silk is really strong. It is resistant to wrinkles, tears, dirt and odours, so - like all of the best things in life - it is low-maintenance. All year round, silk makes you feel and look great!
The silk fabric we know and love comes from the cocoons of the Bombyx Mori moth in its larval stage. These moths have been reared in captivity for centuries, a practice known as sericulture or silk farming. Zanan Herat Silk provides silkworm seeds to aspiring women silk farmers.
The women receive training on sericulture and nurture the silkworms until the cocoons are ready for harvest. At Zanan Herat Silk, the silk is spun, coloured with natural dyes, then woven into scarves, shawls, carpets and other silk products. All of the products are crafted, with the utmost care, by women.
Synthetics come and go, but pure natural silk remains unchallenged as the most beautiful and luxurious fabric known to man.
" Raw Silk "
Waste is an inevitable part of silk processing. Fine silk relies on perfect cocoons, each made of a single strand of silk that is unthreaded and reeled. But the outermost layers of even perfect cocoons cannot be reeled. Nor can the inner layer, next to the chrysalis. Nor can cocoons that have been pierced, allowing the moth inside to emerge. This is silk waste.
However, this “waste” is a treasure in Afghanistan, where the term ‘qazin’ means both ‘silk waste’ and ‘raw silk’. Arabic has a similar word meaning ‘in storage’. Before the advent of synthetic fabrics, china, Japan, but also Italy and France, considered silk too precious to waste and repurposed it in different ways.
Zanan Herat Silk carefully collects silk waste and uses it to make raw silk fabric. It is a labour-intensive process, but well worth the effort. Vegan silk, where the moth is able to emerge from the cocoon and complete its lifecycle, is also transformed in raw silk.
For anyone who cares about environmental sustainability and ethical production, the raw silk scarves and fabric you see here are a great option, less shiny and showy than fine silk, but luxuriously soft and beautifully understated.
" Zanan Herat Silk "
Production company was established in 2016. All of its 750 shareholders are women, as are its CEO, Ms Maryam Shaikh, and her deputy, Ms Zahra Saifi. The company was set up with two main goals: first to revive the prestigious Afghan silk industry; and second to empower women.
Women everywhere need fulfilling work and decent salaries not just to survive, but to thrive. Some Afghan women aspire to independence and self-reliance. others just want to be an asset to the family, not a burden. All want to contribute to their community and have a voice in decisions affecting them.
Afghan dominance in silk production has suffered immensely in recent decades. Zanan Herat Silk aims to restore the industry to its former glory. Women are central to this revival, and through silk can themselves be revived, made stronger, more self-reliant, and active in their own lives and in the world.
In the next few years, Zanan Herat Silk aims to establish the company as a global player, to build and equip a new workshop in Zenda Jan (Herat) for high-quality silk production, and to grow. Women remain at its heart, holding the shares, but more importantly creating the vision and making it reality.
Natural Dyeing
Much like fine cooking, natural dyeing is a complex, multistep process that calls for great precision and an expert eye. Master dyers use recipes that list the ingredients, exact quantities, times and water temperatures needed to extract colour and create each natural dye.
The main ingredient for natural-dyed silk is, of course, the yarn. Whether fine or raw silk, yarn has to be readied for dyeing. Any remaining gum - naturally present in silk cocoons - must be removed. Then, for some natural dyes, ‘mordants’ - fixatives like potash and cream of tartar - are needed so the yarn can absorb and fix the dyes. Quantities, times and temperatures have to be right for the dyeing process too. Skeins of yarn are immersed in a solution of the natural dye and boiling water. They are stirred and stretched so each strand is exposed to the dye for just the right amount of time at just the right temperature to achieve the exact shade needed.
It takes an experienced dyer and an expert eye to know when it is time to take the yarn out of the dyeing solution. Just like a chef tries a few strands of spaghetti to see if it is cooked, the dyer takes out some yarn, dries it a little, then compares it to samples to make sure the shade is exactly the same for every batch. The last step uses a weaker solution of mordant to set the colour fast. Then one final rinse and the yarn is ready to be dried and later woven into beautiful silk fabric.
None
E-001
None E-001
Bukhara Plum
BK-01
Fig Leaf
FG-01
Dark mint
MN-01
Light mint
MN-02
Onion Peel
ON-01
Poppy straw
PP-01
Rojan root
RJ-01
Tumeric
TR-01
Walnut Shells
WL-01
Timeless Elegance
The Unique Power of Silk
Elegance and Style: Silk has an unrivaled ability to enhance natural beauty. The way it drapes and flows across the body accentuates individuality, making every piece a statement of poise and confidence.
Wellness and Comfort: Its hypoallergenic and temperature-regulating properties ensure that silk feels as good as it looks, offering unparalleled comfort against the skin.
Symbol of Empowerment: In Herat, silk weaving is more than a livelihood—it's a reclamation of identity and agency. For the women who create these exquisite pieces, silk is a bridge to economic independence and cultural pride.
Our handcrafted silk products celebrate this essence of femininity, blending timeless artistry with the benefits of a fabric cherished for its beauty and versatility. From luxurious scarves to elegant garments, every piece is made with care, connecting you to a legacy of strength and refinement.
When you choose silk from Herat, you’re not just embracing elegance; you’re championing a movement that empowers Afghan women to lead their own futures. Let the touch of silk remind you of the resilience it represents—a fabric that speaks of quiet confidence, subtle allure, and enduring heritage.
Feel the story. Wear the strength. Celebrate the art of silk.
Testimonial
What Our Clients Say
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