Dear Insiders,
We would like to invite you to follow along on our Rug Diary Series. Our hope is, this will be a place of community, to learn the inner workings of the shop, share loom knowledge, but most importantly, a place for Sarah to share her Syrian culture. After all, her heritage inspired this journey. Our excitement for the coming season and our hopes for a warmer, more engaged world has left us eager to bring you along on our journey building this small woman owned company.
Sarah Naji’s younger years were highlighted by summer trips to the oldest city in the world, Damascus, Syria. Much of her time during these trips was spent writing long messages to her best friend, Anna. Catching up on the latest boy crush and spilling secrets while at the nearest internet cafe, anxiously trying to find a way to stay connected to her American world. Her summers in Syria always felt like traveling back in a time machine; the internet was hard to come by, American TV wasn’t available, but she found love in the culture. It was her yearly routine, when most kids she knew were packing their bags for soccer camp she was packing her whole life up for three month long visits to her second home. Summers in Syria began before she was even one. At times growing up life felt like a battle between two worlds, aching to fit into each with half of her heart stuck in the other. Even after eleven years, separated by the war, half of Sarah’s heart still lives there.
Memory sustains her love for the culture through the decade that she hasn’t been able to return to Damascus. Memories of playing in the rubble of the buildings under construction. Memories of Thursday night dinners with her father’s very, very large family, a tradition. Memories of being shuffled through the vast souks (markets) with her mom and aunt after a long hot day, and sipping juice from her fav spot ‘Abu Abdah’. Minimal Chaos is so happy to share these memories and the path they have inspired.
From The Souk To you,
Minimal Chaos
