Collaborations and Partners

We collaborate with artists and artisans across the world , from established practitioners to self-taught makers and generational craftspeople. We strive to promotoe endangered craft lineages, handwoven textiles, embroidery, and Ajrak dyeing , practices that carry centuries of knowledge and remain increasingly fragile today.    

In Pakistan, our work spans a continuum of contemporary and traditional craft, from
graduates of the National College of Arts, Lahore, to artisans whose knowledge is passed down through family lineages outside formal institutions. Together, they reflect a living landscape of making.

Fresco and Mosaic wall art

 Rizwan Saeed,a fresco and mosaic artist with over fifteen years of experience restoring UNESCO-recognised heritage sites such as the Lahore Fort . Rizwan creates paintings on canvas and paper inspired by the rich visual language of 17th-century frescoes. His work draws on the colours, patterns and architectural details of South Asian and Mughal-era art, reinterpreting historic imagery through a contemporary artistic practice while keeping its cultural character alive.

 The Seventh generation,  Last Kashigar Family of Pakistan.

Multan’s kashi tilework dates back to the 13th century, flourishing around its Sufi shrines and Islamic architecture. We work with seventh-generation Kashigars , Pakistans last Kashigar family,continuing the city's blue tile tradition, their lineage tied to the restoration of the 14th-century Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam. We are bringing their craftsmanship into contemporary spaces through a collection of modern tiles, reimagining traditional patterns, colours and techniques for today while keeping this rare cultural heritage alive.

Preserving the Art of Handweaving

The art of handweaving in Pakistan is at risk of disappearing. We are committed to keeping this living tradition alive by supporting skilled artisans and creating a market for their work.

Our weavers are generational craftspeople, carrying techniques and knowledge passed down through families. We also source handwoven cloth from weavers who were direct students of the late Sahib Dino Mallah, a master weaver whose contribution to the craft was recognised with Pakistan’s Pride of Performance Award.

By working with artisans connected to this lineage, we help sustain not only the craft, but the knowledge and stories woven into every piece. 

Home based artisans 

We support home-based artisans with flexible work that allows them to earn an income while remaining close to their families. We invest in their skills, training and wellbeing, helping create sustainable livelihoods while valuing their time, independence and role within their communities.

Khayamiya — The Traditional Art of Cairo

A centuries-old tradition of Cairo, khayamiya developed through the city’s rich Islamic textile and tentmaking heritage. For generations, artisans have created intricate hand-stitched appliqué, transforming cotton into richly patterned works of art.  We work with Cairos most respected tentmaker H. El-Kade, a third-generation tentmaker, sustaining one of the world's oldest and most endangered textile practices known as Khayamiya . Mr El-Kade's art piece is permanently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Supporting refugee artisans. Preserving endangered crafts. Creating livelihoods.

Our collaborations also extend to Afghan refugee artisans based in Pakistan including the persecuted Hazara community and to Palestinian businesses preserving traditions shaped by displacement, resilience, and continuity.Khamak (خامک)is a traditional form of hand embroidery associated particularly with Hazara communities in Afghanistan, known for intricate geometric patterns and fine threadwork.Passed down through generations, it is an important expression of Hazara cultural identity and craftsmanship. We work to bring Khamak to contemporary audiences, creating opportunities for artisans while helping preserve a distinctive textile tradition for future generations.

Two thousand years of Syrian craftsmanship.

From the ancient tradition of Aleppo soapmaking to the intricate art of pearl inlay, Syria’s artisans carry a remarkable legacy of skill, patience and artistry. We work to bring these traditions into contemporary homes while supporting the craftspeople keeping Syria’s cultural heritage alive.

Aleppo Soap.

Legend holds that more than 2,000 years ago,women in Aleppo discovered that combining olive oil with wild plants could create an effective cleansing soap, giving rise to a tradition passed through generations.

Before the Syrian war, around 100 soap factoriesand workshops operated across the region. War, displacement and disrupted supply chains devastated the industry; by 2024, some accounts reported only around 15 remaining. Historic family workshops were damaged or forced to close, putting this ancient craft at risk.

We help by bringing traditionally made Aleppo soap to new markets, supporting Syrian makers, sustaining livelihoods and helping preserve this remarkable heritage.

Syrian Pearl Inlay

Syrian pearl-inlay mosaic, rooted in the workshops of Damascus, is a meticulous craft combining shimmering mother-of-pearl with richly coloured woods, bone and intricate geometric patterns. Each tiny piece is carefully cut and set by hand, creating luminous designs that reflect Syria’s centuries old artistic heritage, craftsmanship and enduring cultural identity. Passed down through generations, the craft reflects Syria’s rich tradition of woodworking and Islamic design.We work with Syrian artisans to bring this heritage into contemporary homes while supporting the skilled makers who keep it alive.

Vintage 

Our vintage lines sourced from Afghanistan, the Levant, the UK, and South Asia, are not
collections of the past but continuations of it , reinterpreted from archival textiles and objects that carry memory, time, and lineage.

At Threads and Rivers, heritage is presence carried forward through the hands that continue to make Each piece carries a distinct language of making, shaped by memory, place, and inheritance..