where to see and buy textiles in Addis

For those who love textiles, Ethiopia is a surprisingly rich place. Before we came here, I knew that Ethiopia had many different regional styles of cultural dress, but I really didn’t know what I might find in the way of embroidery.

I was surprised to find that embroidery is easily found in Ethiopia, though you do have to look carefully to find good quality.

When we were on our northern tour, I kept a lookout for places to see and buy embroidery, but what I saw was very crude and not for the discerning embroidery buyer. Doesn’t mean that good quality work wasn’t there – I just never found it. Of course, I did see embroidery and Ethiopian textiles every day: particularly in the country, traditional clothing is common on older women.

Since being in Addis, I have learned of and visited several places that are worth recommending for those who might want to purchase Ethiopian textiles and embroidery.

Keep in mind that people do not use street names in Addis, so the best I can do for you is to describe locations in relation to other landmarks. (Good luck in finding the places!!)

Shiro Meda
This is the best place in Addis to see traditional textiles. It is a market area on the road to Entoto Mountain in the north of the city. If you head north from Arat Kilo up towards Addis Ababa University, and keep going, you will soon find Shiro Meda market area on both sides of the road. If you find you’re going up the mountain already, you’ve missed it (how?!) and will need to turn around and look more carefully on your way back!

Here you can find habesha tibeb (traditional Ethiopian dress), in many different regional styles. Some are made with coloured woven borders, others are embroidered – some by hand, others by machine. Obviously you will expect to pay more for hand embroidered work, as opposed to those with woven details or machine embroidered.

Depending on the amount of embroidery, and its quality, you could pay several thousand birr for a beautiful hand-embroidered traditional tibeb from the Axum region. (I do desire one of these, but as that’s several hundred Australian dollars, I can’t justify it for something I will admire greatly but never wear!)

There are also much more simple hand embroidered garments in the Addis style. I bought a reasonable quality women’s blouse with hand embroidery on the front for 100birr (and I’m not saying that’s a good price because I didn’t haggle, but I was happy to pay it).

Gabis are heavy woven shawls used for warmth as clothing and blankets, and netelas are lightweight, cheesecloth style scarves with beautiful woven bands on the ends. These and other traditional clothing can be found here. You can also find woven or embroidered tablecloths, bedcovers, and cushion covers.

If you want modern habesha (national Ethiopian) clothing, you can get it made to measure here, in most of the little souks. Just choose your fabric and the style and order it. I have no idea about turnaround times or prices, as I have not done this. But it can be done!

Hilton Hotel
This is probably the second best hotel in Addis, after the Sheraton. It is located in the Kasanches area. The Hilton has a good range of souvenir shops, and despite it being in one of top hotels, the prices are good and reasonable. Don’t feel that you’ll be being ripped off by buying at the Hilton, because you won’t be.

Here you can buy beautiful woven scarfs, hand embroidered clothing, pot-holders, cushion covers etc. There are many different shops – some on the outside, near Novis Supermarket, others inside on entry level, and still more downstairs on the pool level.

To enter the Hilton, you will have to pass through a bag check, possibly a pat-down search, and you may need to show ID.

NGO bazaar
On the last Sunday of each month at IEC (International Evangelical Church) in Sarbeit, the NGO (non-government organisation) bazaar is held. There is a small cover charge for entry (something like 3 birr per person) and then you are free to wander, enjoy and purchase!

We were only here for one of these, but it was an event NOT to be missed. I think ALL westerners in Addis turn up at this on the day it is on. All roads lead to Rome, and all Westerners go to the NGO bazaar.

You can purchase good quality souvenirs and gifts, including a great range of textiles and embroidered items such as the ubiquitous scarves, pot-holders, cushion covers, aprons, fabric toys etc. There is also a great range of pottery, jewellery, wood work, processional crosses, woven wool mats and hangings, and food.

And all proceeds go to NGOs working with Ethiopians to improve their lot. Some of the NGOs I recognised included Alert Leprosy Hospital, and the Gemini Trust which supports families with twins (as a twin, this had resonance for me!). So, great products, great causes.

Sabahar
Beautiful handwoven silk and cotton products, as part of the fledgling silk producing industry of Ethiopia. Uses Eri silk, which is soft and has a slight sheen. Gorgeous colours, mostly from natural dyes. Clothing such as scarves and gabis, and homewares such as throws, bedcovers, cushions and tablemats.

This is in Mekanisa, and is not easy to find. When you’re on the right road, its behind the Salam Nurses College, but you’ll have to find that first. Best to ask an expat to show you where it is – hopefully they’ll know! Taxi drivers will have no idea where it is, though of course they’ll know where Mekanisa is.

Otherwise, Sabahar scarves can be purchased at the Ethnological Museum gift shop, or at more inflated prices in one of the shops at the Sheraton.

A place I don’t know the name of
This is really specific, isn’t it?! There is a shop which is something to do with small/micro businesses on the road heading southish to Mexico roundabout, just past the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA), sort of opposite Wabe Shebele Hotel. I haven’t been to this shop (hence not knowing its actually name), but going past in the taxi, it looked to have a great range of textiles.

Various souvenir shops dotted all around the city
There are souvenir shops everywhere. In some of these you can find beautiful woven and/or embroidered textiles. We explored a good number on Churchill Avenue, near the Tewodros Square cannon. Purchased some simple embroidered Addis-style garments (blouse and top) for our daughters. Do try them on though, as when we got home, we found that on one of them the head-hole was too small, and required some swift alterations, so that the little dear could wear it that day – so excited was she!

There are also a lot of souvenir shops in the Posta Bet area (that’s ‘Post Office’), though we haven’t personally explored these.

There will be other places, but as I don’t know of them, I can’t share them with you!