Ethical, artisanal, and Tunisian, Tūniq’s pieces gently journey from sheep to shop, made by hands that have honed their craft through generations.
A tailored cloak
Hidden in the lush green suburbs of Tunisia’s capital, in an office with blush-toned walls and terrazzo floors, an emerging brand has developed a business strategy that packs a punch. Tūniq – founded by Iman Masmoudi, a student at Harvard Law School – is on a mission to determine whether creating an ethical business from top to bottom is truly possible. Fashion has been ranked one of the most harmful industries to the planet, produces over 80 billion garments a year, and leads to an estimated 92 million tons of clothing ending up in landfills annually. A disproportionate amount of that waste comes from consumers in the Global North – with the burden falling on the Global South. For Masmoudi, an opportunity presented itself to challenge this, and create a home-grown North African carpet brand that is ethical and earth-conscious “from sheep to shop.”
Amm Ryadh weaving grass into the Dawn on the Grass rug.
It was on one of her family trips from the US to her native Tunisia that Masmoudi’s first stroke of inspiration came about. She met artisans from around the country, women who for generations had sheared and spun wool to make rugs, clothing, and chechias – Tunisia’s traditional headwear. There were also silk weavers, leather workers, fabric dyers, and metalsmiths. These were the people who had intergenerational knowledge, made high-quality and biodegradable items, and kept the country’s intangible heritage alive. Yet, with fast fashion outlets and globalization taking over much of the landscape, not only were these skills getting lost, but few people remained interested in supporting local artisans. This made it difficult for workers to earn a living.
Photo: Courtesy of Tūniq
Then came Tūniq. With the belief that sustainable fashion is age-old, Masmoudi worked…
