Kantara: Moroccan Rugs

Kantara: Moroccan Rugs Kantara is a fair trade design business specializing in custom, vintage, and handwoven Moroccan rugs.

Alia Kate founded Kantara in 2008 after falling in love with the art, the design, and the individual women's stories that were woven into each of these unique Moroccan carpets. While living and working in Morocco, she became thoroughly inspired by the tenacity of the women weavers in rural Morocco and by their commitment to a craft that goes back generations and generations. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles between trips to Morocco.

The primaries are around the corner and vote centers are now open through election day, June 2nd. I used to volunteer as...
05/27/2026

The primaries are around the corner and vote centers are now open through election day, June 2nd. I used to volunteer as an election clerk and so these topics are near and dear to me šŸ’ƒšŸ½

We also used to host Bagels and Ballots brunches to get the ballots figured out in a timely manner, but these days everyone is so busy, so we’ll just drop the resources here. As always, our DMs are open if you have any questions!

>> VOTER GUIDES
There are a lot of orgs that offer voter guides. Our favorites for Leftist politics are:
1. and
2.
3.

Google their names + ā€œ2026 Voter Guideā€ and you’ll get a well-researched doc that dives into each race and candidate. If you want to go meta on this thing, just published ā€œA guide to voter guides in LA Countyā€ that suggests a few more voter guides, representing a range from centrist to leftist politics.

>> VOTE CENTERS
Vote Centers are open from now until June 1st: 10am - 7pm. On June 2nd, election day, vote centers are open 7am - 8pm. To find a vote center near you: https://locator.lavote.gov/locations/vc

>> BALLOT BOXES
You can drop off your signed/sealed ballot at a ballot box until 8pm on election day. To find a ballot box near you: https://locator.lavote.gov/locations/vbm

Oakland and Mill Valley, get ready! It’s that time of year again, and we’re heading up to the Bay Area from May 15-17 fo...
05/06/2026

Oakland and Mill Valley, get ready! It’s that time of year again, and we’re heading up to the Bay Area from May 15-17 for our annual Kantara x Esqueleto Trunk Show!

Also, ngl, totally looking forward to all the rug hangs with and all the others at . It’s always a good time and sometimes the dresses even match the rugs āš”ļøšŸ’š

Speaking of, we’ll be bringing a full truck of rugs, pillows, poufs, and blankets, but if there’s a specific style you want to see, leave a note in the comments, or send us a DM! For all of our Bay area people, we hope you can join us at one of the two Esqueleto locations!

🌱 MILL VALLEY: Fri & Sat May 15 & 16 • 10am - 6pm • 100 Throckmorton Ave

🌱 OAKLAND: Sun May 17 • 10am - 6pm • 5520 College Ave

After seven weeks on the road in Morocco, we're back in LA, getting ready to welcome in a huge shipment of rugs. In the ...
05/04/2026

After seven weeks on the road in Morocco, we're back in LA, getting ready to welcome in a huge shipment of rugs. In the meantime, check out the events that we're hosting this month in the Bay Area and LA, and get a sneak peek at some contemporary low-pile rugs that just joined our collection! https://nsk.soundestlink.com/ce/v/0/69f7cd35fc16561e6a9c0258

04/25/2026

Spring Sale! Come by the shop this weekend for 10% off before we restock with brand new finds from our sourcing trip in Morocco āœˆļøšŸ’ØšŸ’Ø

Open 11-5 Saturday & Sunday in Eagle Rock, or by appointment throughout the week.

I just got back to Morocco to lead a custom  tour, and it’s a very special one!For the next week, I’ll be taking a group...
03/17/2026

I just got back to Morocco to lead a custom tour, and it’s a very special one!

For the next week, I’ll be taking a group of Claremont Graduate University (CGU) Arts Management students through Morocco to investigate the intersection of business and the creative industries. None of this could have happened without the expertise and vision of two people!

First, I couldn’t have done this without who pulled together meetings with leading arts organizations, foundations, artists, and residency programs. I’m so grateful for her graciousness and her partnership on this program!

Then, there’s David Pagel, at CGU! He’s brought his graduate students to our space in Eagle Rock every year for the last six years. The impetus for this trip grew organically out of the many conversations we’ve had over the years.

I love puttin these custom tours together as it’s a way to see Morocco through a completely different lens. This tour, specifically, is a unique opportunity to dive deep into a vibrant and rich part of Moroccan contemporary life that we don’t often get to see on our standard signature tours. Stay tuned as we dig in over the next week 🤩✨

While I’m here in Morocco, the shop is in great hands and will be open Saturdays and Sundays 11-5pm!

Join me this Thursday at  about the legacy of weaving in rural Morocco. I often give these lectures on theĀ Smithsonian t...
02/10/2026

Join me this Thursday at about the legacy of weaving in rural Morocco. I often give these lectures on theĀ Smithsonian tripsĀ that I lead, providing context on the craft of weaving that has been transmitted across generations, through the women in the family.Ā 

I’m excited to bring this story home to Pasadena, as it is one of the main reasons I started working with artisans in Morocco almost 20 years ago. I invite you all to join as we explore how weaving evolved from a craft produced for personal use, to one that is highly sought after in commercial spaces. We’ll look at everything from the mechanics of how the women weave and what makes the rugs so complex, Ā to the symbolism of the rugs and how they’re tied into female identity, fertility, and motherhood.

When: Thursday, February 12
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Location: Pasadena Heritage; 160 N. Oakland Ave.

Click the link in bio to find out more about the lecture and purchase your tickets!

Join us this Thursday for our lecture at Pasadena Heritage, where we dive into the legacy of craft of rural weaving in M...
02/10/2026

Join us this Thursday for our lecture at Pasadena Heritage, where we dive into the legacy of craft of rural weaving in Morocco.

This Thursday I will be giving a lecture at Pasadena Heritage about the legacy of weaving in rural Morocco. I often give these lectures on the Smithsonian trips that I lead, providing context on the craft of weaving that has been passed down for generations, through the women in the family.Ā 

We’ll be closed Friday in solidarity with Minnesota, with hearts full of grief at the 40+ needless dea+hs in detention s...
01/29/2026

We’ll be closed Friday in solidarity with Minnesota, with hearts full of grief at the 40+ needless dea+hs in detention since this madness began. And we’ll be channeling our sacred rage at the masked cowards roaming our streets and destroying communities in their wake.

If this is what the system deems as normal, may we join together and find the courage to collectively stand up and grind the gears to a halt.

Lots of great events coming up in LA and online in the coming weeks + here’s a sneak peek of some of the new rugs we jus...
01/27/2026

Lots of great events coming up in LA and online in the coming weeks + here’s a sneak peek of some of the new rugs we just got in stock...!! They still haven’t made their way online, but we’re dropping them here, interspersed with ways that you might get involved locally.

There’s something for everyone! We need all the help we can get. If you’re unsure of where to start, my DMs are always open.

The only way out is through, adelante!

Proud to join the solidarity action tomorrow in response to calls coming out of Minnesota. Kantara will be closed for th...
01/22/2026

Proud to join the solidarity action tomorrow in response to calls coming out of Minnesota. Kantara will be closed for the day. We encourage y’all to get out in the streets, call your reps, walk out of school, attend a community defense training, shut it down!

There are over 120 actions happening across the US. To find a local action in LA or more resources, visit: linktr.ee/SolidarityStrike

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