OUR STORY

Founder and former journalist Eleanor Khan developed a passion for Pakistan while living there with her British-Pakistani husband 2010-2012. After Pakistan she lived in Turkey then Jordan and saw how traditional crafts across the world were threatened. She realised that the skills Pakistan had held onto were truly special but little known. 

Pakistan has one of the richest artisanal histories in the world, particularly in textiles, but is rarely given credit on the world stage for its heritage. Waves of immigration over the centuries from the West (Central Asia, Afghanistan & Iran) brought new cultural traditions that then merged with indigenous crafts. More recently, many artisans steeped in the decorative techniques of Mughal India emigrated to the newly created country of Pakistan in 1947 when the British left and the Indian sub-continent was divided.

Pakistan shares a border with Iran, Afghanistan, China & India & shares certain techniques and traditions with all of those countries, meaning there is huge variety in its crafts.

As in much of the world though, artisanal work is under threat from cheap imports, changing lifestyles, technology, economic pressures, climate change and mass-market production. When you buy from Nimuri you help reverse this trend.