About

Palestinian embroidery, or tatreez, is a centuries-old art form preserved through oral history between mother and daughter. The Tatreez Institute, also known as Tatreez & Tea, was founded by Wafa Ghnaim in 2016 to preserve, research, and document Palestinian embroidery, dress, and history in the United States.

Dedicated to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and preventing cultural erasure, the Institute stewards a growing collection of traditional dresses and headdresses from Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan rematriated from dumpsters, estates, and households across the world. This study collection facilitates the research that is published by the Institute, and is stewarded through Palestinian hands. Through research, education, and restoration practices, the Institute ensures that the art of embroidery in Palestine, inclusive of the practices, skills, knowledge and rituals as inscribed by UNESCO in 2021, continues to be studied, practiced, and transmitted across generations living in exile.

Get Involved

• Book classes, lectures, and stitching circles led by Wafa Ghnaim, a leading dress historian whose lifelong experience and growing body of research continue to shape the field of fashion and dress studies.

• Donate a dress or other cultural heritage object to contribute to the Institute’s research and study collection.

• Invest in dress research, documentation, and conservation by making a financial contribution to support the Institute’s mission.

• Explore the e-courses available on the website, and cite Wafa’s work in your research and publications.

Contact

• Email: wafa@tatreezandtea.com

• Instagram: @tatreezandtea @thetatreezinstitute

• Facebook: /tatreezandtea