Tatreez Circle: Honoring Heritage Through Story and Stitch - HAMA Fashion

Tatreez Circle: Honoring Heritage Through Story and Stitch

On August 2nd, the MENA Community Center launched Tatreez Circle—a powerful new program designed to bring together wellness, community, and cultural preservation through the art of Palestinian embroidery.

As the featured speaker, Hama Hinnawi was invited to guide participants through the history, meaning, and significance of tatreez—the traditional cross-stitch embroidery that has long served as a visual language for Palestinian women. From patterns that reflect village identity to colors that signal marital status or mourning, each stitch holds generations of stories and silent resistance.

In her talk, Hama shared how embroidery was never just decorative—it was a form of memory, dignity, and survival. She also introduced the mission behind HAMA, her brand rooted in empowering refugee and under-resourced women through heritage-based fashion, storytelling, and economic independence. At HAMA, Palestinian embroidery is reimagined into high-fashion garments while preserving its cultural soul, and every piece supports the women behind it—from refugee camps in Jordan to teams affected by war in Gaza.

The gathering offered more than just knowledge; it created space for reflection, connection, and healing. With threads in hand and stories in heart, Tatreez Circle opened with the hope that our traditions can not only be preserved—but reactivated to build solidarity and community today.

We thank the MENA Community Center for this beautiful initiative, and for inviting Hama to be part of a growing movement to keep heritage alive, one stitch at a time.