Stitch by Stitch: Meet SilaiWali
There is a word in Hindustani that carries within it an entire world of making. Silai — to stitch. Wali — she who does. Put them together and you have SilaiWali: the seamstress. It is a modest, beautiful word for a project that is anything but small.
Nura in Green. She wears traditional Afghan festive dress, adorned with jewellery featuring intricate zari-inspired details. Her appearance recalls celebrations, memory and belonging.
Founded in New Delhi in 2019 by French designer Iris Strill and visual journalist Bishwadeep Moitra, SilaiWali began with ten makers and a straightforward but radical idea: that textile waste from garment factories could become something extraordinary in the right hands. Today, those hands number over 400 — Afghan refugee women and tribal artisans from West Bengal, working together out of Khirki Extension, a neighbourhood that knows something about resilience and reinvention.
Imani in Green. She embodies belief, motherhood and continuity. Holding her child close, bound with a soft cloth echoing an umbilical connection, she symbolises nurturing strength and the origins of life.
The objects they create are dolls in name, but in spirit they are something closer to storytelling. Each one — Jeanne with her Provençal bonnet, Soumba crowned in her African kaftan and turban, Chacha in his kurta with that magnificently twirled moustache — is a fully realised character, stitched into being from discarded cotton offcuts. No two are ever quite the same. The zero-waste, entirely hand-assembled process means that every piece carries the trace of its maker: the particular tension of a stitch, the choice of a scrap of embroidered fabric, the small flourish that transforms a remnant into a face.
A SilaiWali artisan in the studio.
The skills at work here are not incidental. For many of the Afghan artisans, crochet, embroidery, and hand stitching are inheritances — techniques passed through generations, bound up in cultural identity and communal memory. Displacement does not erase that knowledge. If anything, SilaiWali gives it new ground to grow in, weaving heritage into objects that travel the world and carry their stories with them.
Viji, dressed in an off-white sari with a gold border and adorned with ornate jewellery, evoking festivity, beauty and joyful anticipation.
Endorsed by UNHCR and MADE51, SilaiWali is proof that ethical production and genuine beauty are not in competition. Fair wages, safe conditions, skill-sharing, and sustainability sit comfortably alongside objects you simply want to hold. We are genuinely delighted to welcome them to the Selvedge Artisan Goods shop.
To find out more, we were delighted to spend a few minutes with Anisa Rehmani, SilaiWali's team leader, who arrived in New Delhi in 2019 from the Kunduz region of Afghanistan. Anisa is Hazara — a community with a deep tradition of textile craft — and her fluency in crochet, embroidery, and hand stitching is rooted in that heritage. At SilaiWali, she has translated those skills into a role that keeps the whole community moving forward:
Five Minutes with a Friend: Anisa Rehmani, Team Leader, SilaiWali
Portrait of Anisa Rehmani. Photo: Bishwadeep Moitra/SilaiWali
Anisa, what is your earliest memory of a textile?
My earliest memory is of sitting beside my mother and grandmother in Kunduz, watching their hands move with quiet confidence. They stitched and crocheted in the afternoons, often using whatever fabric was available. I remember touching the textures—soft, worn cotton, colourful threads—and feeling that these pieces carried warmth, care, and stories of our home.
How would you describe what draws you to textiles and the world of making?
Textiles feel like a language to me. Even without words, they express identity, memory, and emotion. What draws me most is the ability to transform something simple, like leftover fabric, into something meaningful and beautiful. Making gives me a sense of purpose and calm, and it connects me to where I come from.
Women in co-creation at the SilaiWali studio.
If you create textiles, where do you feel most inspired to work?
I feel most inspired when I am working with other women. Whether in our workspace in Delhi or sitting together informally, there is an energy in shared making. It reminds me of home, of community, and of learning together. That environment gives me strength and inspiration.
What has sparked your imagination or inspired you recently?
Recently, working with up-cycled materials has inspired me deeply. Seeing how discarded fabrics can become dolls, ornaments, or artworks has changed the way I look at waste. It makes me think creatively—about colour combinations, textures, and new forms that can emerge from what others throw away.
Nura wears traditional Afghan festive dress, adorned with jewellery featuring intricate zari-inspired details. Her appearance recalls celebrations, memory and belonging.
What is your most treasured textile, and what story does it carry?
One of my most treasured pieces is a small embroidered cloth my mother made before I left Afghanistan. It is simple, but it carries her touch and her blessing. Whenever I see it, I feel connected to my past, to my family, and to the strength that brought me here.
Where did you first learn your craft, and who shaped your early approach to making?
I first learned from the women in my family—my mother, grandmother, and aunts. In our culture, these skills are passed down through generations. They taught me patience, attention to detail, and respect for the craft. Their way of working still guides me today.
Women in co-creation, intricately stitching at the SilaiWali studio.
Is there a piece of music you return to while you work, that sets the rhythm of your making?
I often listen to traditional Afghan songs while I work. The melodies are familiar and comforting, and they bring a rhythm to my hands. Sometimes, even silence feels like music when everyone is focused and working together.
What material or technique are you currently experimenting with or curious to explore further?
I am very interested in combining crochet with embroidery in new ways. I also want to explore working with different textures of up-cycled fabric—especially mixing fine and rough materials to create more depth in our products.
Mizu captivates in her traditional kimono, tied with a wide waistband and finished with a bow at the back. A rose tucked into her carefully styled bun adds a delicate contrast to her composed silhouette.
If you could collaborate with any maker—past or present—who would it be, and why?
I would love to collaborate with traditional artisans from different cultures, especially women who carry their heritage through textiles. Learning from each other’s techniques and stories would be very meaningful to me.
What does a perfect day of making look like for you?
A perfect day is when I am surrounded by my team, everyone focused and creating together. There is conversation, laughter, and also moments of quiet concentration. At the end of the day, seeing finished pieces—knowing they will travel across the world—gives me a deep sense of pride and happiness.
Thank you, Anisa Rehmani, for speaking with us.
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Further Information:
Discover more from SilaiWali at the Selvedge Artisan Goods shop.
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Image Credits:
Lead: Hand stitched SilaiWali dolls, seated peacefully together.
All images courtesy of Bishwadeep Moitra/SilaiWali and as credited in captions.