An Omani startup is producing items with the idea of safeguarding the cultural identity of the country. 

Abdullah Suleiman al Aufi, a 23 year old law student at Sultan Qaboos University, and Thwiba Saleh al Barwani, 22, an environmental science student at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, set up their project ‘Bordoghali’ in November 2019.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Aufi said Bordoghali (orange colour) is focused on designing, making and selling craft items and tote bags with iconic Omani elements. “The idea came from a passion for visual content and art. We started by drawing inspiration from Omani culture and artistic heritage.” 

The startup offers modern lifestyle products with a unique design.

“Oman has traditions that must be saved and we found that through these products, we have a good chance of doing that.”

Aufi said they started learning online marketing following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Talking about the challenges they faced, he said, “Making a financial plan for the products took a lot of time. COVID-19 affected suppliers which directly affected our business.”

He said they have the support of their families and friends in the venture. Besides continuing to design products that promote  Omani culture and heritage, they hope to take the products to other countries in the future.

Source: https://muscatdaily.com/Oman/388609/Startup-safeguards-cultural-identity-through-craft-items-