Afghanistan news and archive

Afghan artisans pit their talents against Chinese imports

Cheap, Chinese-made nylon burkas are flooding Afghanistan's north as consumers turn to affordable, mass-produced fabrics -- but in Kabul a small, determined fashion house is fighting to preserve the traditional textiles once integral to Afghan culture. Launched in 2006, "Zarif" -- "precious" in Persian -- commissions traditional cotton and silk...

Fashion

Dressmakers bring touch of old Afghanistan to Pakistan

With ballgowns, Western-style bridal wear and cocktail dresses, Afghan tailors driven out of their homeland by the Taliban are carving a niche for themselves in Pakistan's capital city. Their stores stand between rows of animal carcasses and car workshops in Islamabad's grubby Peshawar Mor neighbourhood -- known more as a haven for refugees than...