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RIYADH: Sleysla’s handmade products are made with eco-friendly and sustainable materials, reviving Saudi cultural heritage while making a fashion statement with bold colors and designs.

More than just a brand for cultural goods, the Sleysla Center for Developing Saudi Heritage is one of the most prominent cultural initiatives, founded in 2008 under Saudi Arabia’s Al-Faisalya Women Welfare Society. The center’s chairman of the board and president is Princess Fahda bint Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.

Sleysla was opened with the aim of training and empowering women from families with limited income, or those with special needs, and teaching them new skills to support themselves. It is also focused on the development of traditional handicrafts, including ones made using palm-tree fronds and wool-based Sadu patterns, to encourage the use of local products representing Saudi culture and heritage.

Reda Gazawy, a member of the board of directors of the Craft Cooperative Society and spokesperson for Sleysla, told Arab News that Princess Fahda’s goal through Sleysla was to provide products and handicrafts by Saudi craftswomen inspired by Saudi heritage. Sleysla’s trained artisans use raw materials and elements taken from Saudi heritage from different regions of the Kingdom.

Gazawy said: “Sleysla was keen to make its products a continuation of the traditional crafts and develop them to keep their products in line with every era. For example, we are very famous for our bags that are made of palm-tree fronds.

“We are training a large number of Saudi craftswomen, and these products are all made by them.”

Sustainability is at the heart of Sleysla, which emphasizes recycling Saudi raw materials to design traditional and contemporary accessories.

Sleysla aims to expand its training center to accommodate more craftswomen, enabling them to increase the availability of the items inspired by Saudi heritage around the Kingdom, and also expand their showcase at international exhibitions.

Within the Kingdom, the center has participated in the Ministry of Culture’s Fashion Commission’s 100 Saudi Brands exhibition in Riyadh, which highlighted a variety of fashion and culture brands from all over the Kingdom. (Note: will update the year when reporter provides the information).

The center has participated in international exhibitions affiliated with the commission, including in New York and in Milan, which coincided with Milan Fashion Week last year.

Sleysla offers a range of products including handbags, abayas, decor items and clothing.