Bridging Emirati heritage with global design innovation, the Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council (IRTHI) stood out as a beacon of cultural dialogue and artisanal brilliance at the Moscow Interior and Design Week (MIDW) 2025. Held from May 22 to 25 at the iconic Manezh Central Exhibition Hall, the event marked a powerful platform for IRTHI to highlight the UAE’s craft legacy while promoting sustainability and empowering women on a global stage.
Guided by the vision of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of IRTHI, the council’s participation reflected its mission to merge age-old traditions with contemporary relevance. “We practise and promote craft as a tool for social development, cultural diplomacy, and innovation; all of which are evident in the collections we have brought to Moscow,” said Reem BinKaram, General Director of IRTHI.
BinKaram emphasized the warm reception the council received at the international showcase. “It is an honour for Irthi to be among the first entities from our region to have such a prominent presence here,” she shared. “Designers serve as the link between ancestral knowledge and contemporary expression, and it’s through such collaborations that we foster shared cultural appreciation.”
As the sole representative from the MENASA region, IRTHI’s pavilion drew thousands of visitors with its striking blend of tradition and modernity. The booth featured collections born from cross-cultural collaborations between regional artisans and international designers. Highlights included reinterpretations of palm frond weaving (sa’af), intricate embroidery (talli), and creations utilizing recycled metals and natural dyes — a testimony to the council’s dedication to sustainable practices.
The exhibit powerfully showcased how traditional Emirati crafts can serve as premium design solutions in luxury interiors. Visitors were especially captivated by the resource-efficient techniques embedded in these crafts — from zero-waste weaving to environmentally conscious dyeing — demonstrating how deeply rooted heritage can align with contemporary ecological priorities.
Furthering its role as a thought leader, IRTHI participated in two influential panel discussions. The first, titled “Reinvesting in Heritage,” featured BinKaram alongside Russian heritage specialists and designers. She spotlighted IRTHI’s work in revitalizing endangered crafts through vocational training and global partnerships. “Restoring heritage crafts is about creating living, evolving traditions, not just preserving relics,” BinKaram affirmed. She underscored how IRTHI has connected over 1,000 women artisans from the MENASEA and Central Asia regions with designers from global design capitals like London and Milan.
“Our model ensures that traditional crafts thrive as contributors to the global design economy,” she added.
In the second panel, “Nature is Within Four Walls,” IRTHI’s Head of Marketing, Aisha Al Harmoodi, joined sustainability experts to explore ecological design. She highlighted how IRTHI’s use of locally sourced materials — such as palm fibres, camel wool, and natural pigments — fosters a deeper connection to the UAE’s landscapes and cultural history. “Our crafts are realised through an intimate dialogue with nature,” she explained. “They reflect that sustainability is not just a trend, but a legacy.” Al Harmoodi also presented the Bidwa project, where traditional Bedouin weaving methods have inspired sustainable, contemporary home textiles. This initiative, she noted, preserves cultural identity while reducing environmental impact — perfectly aligning IRTHI with the global movement towards biophilic and sustainable design.
Through its presence at MIDW 2025, the Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council reaffirmed its commitment to cultural preservation, sustainability, and female empowerment — showing the world that tradition, when innovatively reimagined, is a foundation for inclusive, future-forward design.
