Threads of Tradition: 6 Emirati Crafts to Know

Craft is experiencing a powerful revival. Once considered niche or nostalgic, it has returned to everyday conversations, supported by government initiatives, cultural institutions and dedicated funding that recognize the deep human and cultural value these practices hold.

As our lives become increasingly technology‑centric, something essential is often lost: tactile experience, human connection, and a sense of continuity with the past. It is precisely for this reason that craft, heritage, and cultural movements are gaining momentum across the world. We are collectively searching for meaning, and crafts carry the wisdom, values and stories of our ancestors - encoded through materials, techniques and time.

In the UAE, traditional crafts offer a profound lens into the region’s history, environment and ways of living. Rooted in desert landscapes and communal knowledge‑sharing, Emirati crafts are not only functional objects but living cultural expressions.

Let's explore some of the key traditional crafts of the UAE - practices that continue to shape the nation’s cultural identity while inspiring contemporary interpretations today.

Al Sadu (Weaving)

One of the most recognizable and culturally significant Emirati crafts, Al Sadu is a traditional form of Bedouin weaving that reflects life in the desert. In 2020, it was inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, acknowledging its importance as a living cultural practice.

Woven on horizontal ground looms, Al Sadu uses natural materials such as sheep wool, camel wool and goat hair. The bold geometric patterns are not merely decorative - they carry stories and symbols inspired by the surrounding natural landscape, tribal identity, and everyday Bedouin life. Each motif acts as a visual language, preserving history, values, and collective memory through textile form.

Talli (Embroidery)

Talli is an intricate form of traditional embroidery created using silk or cotton threads interwoven with fine metallic strands of gold or silver. Traditionally practiced by women, Talli is used to embellish garments such as kanduras and dresses, most often along seams, cuffs, and sleeve ends. Beyond ornamentation, Talli represents patience, precision, and communal making, as it was historically produced in social settings where women gathered to work, converse, and pass down skills across generations.

Khoos (Palm Frond Weaving)

Crafted from palm tree fronds, Khoos is one of the most environmentally responsive and widely used traditional crafts of the UAE. The palm tree holds deep symbolic value in Emirati culture, representing life, generosity, resilience and survival in an extreme climate. Palm fronds are woven into everyday functional objects such as baskets, mats, ropes, food covers, miniature boats, and decorative elements used in the majlis. Khoos reflects a philosophy of resourcefulness and sustainability - where every part of the palm tree is utilized - and offers valuable lessons for contemporary conversations around ecological making and mindful consumption.

Leather work

Leather work is among the oldest craft traditions in the UAE, historically rooted in the practical needs of desert and coastal life. Artisans traditionally tanned hides from animals such as goats, camels and cows to produce essential items including footwear, belts, sheaths, furnishings and tools used for fishing, herding, and pearl diving. Different types of leather were selected based on function: softer leathers allowed for precision and flexibility, while thicker hides were reserved for durable, long‑lasting products. This craft highlights a deep understanding of material behaviour and an ethic of longevity - creating objects intended to endure daily use and harsh environments. Today, this legacy also opens up important conversations around ethical and conscious living, with high‑quality vegan alternatives offering new possibilities - an approach where material choices are guided by care, responsibility, and intention.

Metal work

Traditional metal work in the UAE includes the crafting of tools, jewelry, coffee pots (dallah), incense burners and weaponry like daggers (khanjar). Often made from silver, brass or copper, these objects balanced utility with ornamentation, featuring engraved patterns that reflected status, protection and identity. Metal work requires specialized skill and was closely tied to trade routes that connected the region to wider cultural exchanges.

Clay work

Clay work, particularly pottery, emerged from the need for storage, cooking and cooling water in extreme heat. Hand‑shaped vessels such as jars, bowls and incense holders were fired using simple kilns, with forms shaped by function and climate. Clay work represents an intimate dialogue between maker, material and environment - where necessity shaped aesthetic beauty.

Craft as Community & Knowledge Transfer

Across all of these practices, craft has functioned as a shared social language. Skills were passed down through observation, repetition and collective participation, with making embedded into daily life. These processes strengthened bonds within families and communities while preserving cultural knowledge through embodied practice.

Today, Emirati crafts are experiencing renewed attention through cultural foundations, heritage festivals, educational programs and design initiatives. We hope to continue seeing these traditions evolving and finding new relevance through contemporary art, architecture and product design, while maintaining respect for their origins.

Craft, Sustainability & Slow Living

Traditional crafts of the UAE inherently embrace sustainability. Locally sourced materials, low‑waste processes, and climate‑responsive design principles were integral long before sustainability became a global buzz-word. These practices invite us to reconsider our relationship with consumption in a world increasingly dominated by mass production and instant gratification.

Practice‑Led Reflection

My own appreciation of the UAE deepened through my participation in the House of Artisans Design Competition 2025, where I explored Emirati craft traditions and connected with local artisans. Winning the competition (in the Product & Art Deco Category) affirmed the relevance of craft‑led storytelling today and highlighted the value of approaching heritage not as something to replicate, but as a living source of inspiration.

After working in this context, I truly believe that traditional crafts offer more than aesthetic reference and value - they provide frameworks for thinking, making, living and connecting across cultures and time.

Closing Reflection

Craft is not about nostalgia, but continuity. These practices carry the intelligence of generations who responded creatively to their environment, resources, and social structures. As we navigate an increasingly digital and accelerated world, craft offers a grounding counterpoint - one that reconnects us to materiality, cultural memory, and shared human values. By engaging with these traditions thoughtfully, we can choose to allow them to remain alive - bridging past, present and future - and ensure that cultural heritage continues to evolve with meaning and care.

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