Five minutes with ... Tradition Textiles

DEBORAH EMMETT & RIYAZ HAKIM OF TRADITION TEXTILES

Can you tell us how Tradition Textiles got started?

Deborah: We began our company in 2003. Riyaz and I share a passion for textiles, specifically hand-crafted textiles created with natural fibres. We spend some months each year living in India where we work directly with skilled textile artisans to produce our collections of scarves, clothing and home furnishings. Since 2003, we have continued to collaborate with many of the same artisans so close relationships have been developed.

What do you love about textiles?

There are many things to love about textiles; their tactility and usefulness as well as their beauty. We definitely are not into fast fashion; we have more of a slow-fashion ethos. Riyaz’s family in Kashmir has been involved in the textile industry for generations, while I have used my background in graphic design to create surface designs for our collections of merino wool scarves and clothing. My print designs are inspired by the Australian natural environment and my interests in visual art, craft and architecture.

Why did you decide to expand from wholesale to include a retail outlet?

In 2017, we opened a retail shop to expand our range of products to include textiles we love but are difficult to wholesale. We have hand-woven pashmina scarves and shawls, each one unique, individual hand-knotted tribal rugs, block-printed table linen and hand-embroidered curtains. Our shop allows us to develop small runs of particular products, such as silk quilted jackets, that are just for our retail customers.

What do customers respond to in your shop?

It is great to meet people who appreciate textiles created using natural fibres. We are certainly not a beige shop; our textiles are all about colour. Customers respond to this and also remark on the high quality of our products. We find that our customers are interested in knowing where our textile designs come from and who is involved in their making.

Can you tell us a little about your international customers? Where are they and who are they?

In 2019, we decided to test the waters in the international market. We exhibited at NY NOW, a wholesale trade fair in New York. We were overwhelmed by the response. People loved the fine quality of our Australian merino wool and the scarf designs. We now supply boutiques, museums and gallery shops throughout the US and Canada. And the support continues to grow.

TRADITION TEXTILES

Shop 2/168 Oxford St

traditiontextiles.com.au

Photo: Trent van der Jagt