Mahjouba on the way to the weaving workshop
Mahjouba's Village in Sunset
The street of the weaving workshop
Market day
Donkeys waiting patiently while their owners are shopping
Curvy Middle-Atlas road
A vision of a weaving collective
Hadkgat el Jabal (Mountain Experiences) is the first weaving community to begin creating Beni Mrirt rugs for us—these are the highest quality, softest, and most lustrous pieces in our collection. Their team upholds outstanding standards and operates with high efficiency, distributing earnings among the women based on the hours they invest. The collective is led by Mahjouba, a dynamic and inspiring 26-year-old woman with just six years of formal education. From our experience, most successful weaving teams are led by an exceptional organizer like her, but Mahjouba stands out even within this group. She is not only capable and entrepreneurial but also has a clear vision for preserving and modernizing Amazigh traditions. While her charismatic personality enables her to unite, motivate, and grow her team.
Mahjouba learned the art of weaving from her grandmother and created her first rug at the age of sixteen. The pattern depicted a Tasghnast or Tizerzit—traditional Amazigh brooch-like ornaments used to fasten garments. Soon after, she wove a second rug featuring a letter from Tifinagh, the Amazigh alphabet. Selling this piece at the Khenifra rug market was a turning point, inspiring her to further hone her craft. From then on, she dedicated herself to refining her technique—practicing consistently, and selling her work regularly.
Wool yarns hanging outside the workshop
"I remember asking myself at one point: if the women in my village are all highly skilled in weaving, why not bring them together and start a cooperative that would benefit us all? We know every aspect of rug making, and we understand each other's strengths—we know who excels at what and who can handle which tasks. Individually, none of us has a large enough market, but together, we can participate in exhibitions, meet new people, and reach many more customers with our products," Mahjouba shared with us about the beginnings.
She initially gathered with five women to share her idea, and they eagerly agreed to collaborate with her. They discussed the steps to establish the cooperative and how it would operate, then launched the project. They took part in exhibitions, where they met new partners; some offered collaborations, placed orders, while others contributed with tips to support their growth. Since then, Hadkgat el Jabal has grown to include twenty-two permanent members.
Mahjouba pouring tea for us
Discussing the custom rug over a table full of delicacies
Yarn colour samples
Working on custom orders
Having fun while weaving
Mahjouba showing us around
Hardworking weaver in Mahjouba's team
The workshop is filled with laughter
A blue beauty in progress
Malika's dotted rug in the making
A new rug on the loom
Strength in unity
"Great appreciation goes to the weavers for their dedication. Every day, they leave their homes and children to work at the cooperative, which requires significant sacrifices from their families as well. Yet, many women have recognized its importance, as it remains the only craft profession in the area that provides them with a source of income. I am grateful to them for believing in my vision, supporting me, and working hard. In return, I do everything I can to help them and find a market for our rugs. This is a team effort—without them, the weaving collective wouldn’t exist."
Mahjouba is constantly innovating and seeking new opportunities. Since we've known her, the collective has already moved to the second workshop, and the number of their looms continues to grow too. Her entrepreneurial spirit is evident in several areas: she recently applied for a business development grant from an American NGO supporting young women and planned to use the prize money and mentorship to establish a local guesthouse. She found a run-down building and planned a phased renovation, using proceeds from the first units to fund subsequent work. Unfortunately, when Donald Trump came to power, funding for the project was immediately frozen. Now, she's struggling to figure out how to pay for the work already done. Though this setback hit her hard, she hasn't given up on the project.
Wool shopping with Mahjouba
The best wool shop in Khenifra
The future of Amazigh heritage
"My dream is to get married, start a family, and have children. However, I don't want to give up on my professional ambitions either. My goal is for our cooperative to keep growing and develop a distinctive, recognizable style. I want to create rugs that blend our traditional weaving techniques with modern design. I am putting a lot of effort into this. I hope our orders will expand in scale, even beyond the continent, inch'Allah (if Allah wills). I will do everything in my power to secure a rightful place for Amazigh heritage in the textile industry and ensure that rug weaving receives the recognition it deserves. This is the mindset I try to pass on to the members of the weaving collective. If we want the world to appreciate our cultural traditions and the significance of our work, we must first represent this heritage with the respect it deserves," she shared with us, concluding her thoughts on her future plans and vision.
Take a look at some of the rugs Mahjouba and her team have woven for us over the years. If you'd like a rug custom-made just for you by Mahjouba's collective, get in touch and we'll create one in your preferred design and size!
Or check out our shop for our currently available Beni Mrirt rugs.
Edited by Lilla Gollob (Co-founder of Edit)