“I asked my father if I could use his storeroom to make and sell carpets,” he says. “He agreed. It started off as a business idea. I didn’t know anything about carpet making at the time, but I soon learned to appreciate it and it became my passion to showcase Egyptian art and heritage through carpet weaving.”
Although El Hefnawi was a recent university graduate, he quickly learned the ropes of running a successful business. From working with artisans to marketing and advertising his business, he always had a steady stream of customers.
“Sakkara is a popular tourist destination in Egypt, so I mainly marketed my carpets to tourists,” he explains. “I used to give out flyers to drivers and people working in the tourism industry to bring their customers to my store, and it worked.”
But El Hefnawi’s success was short lived. In 2011, the Egyptian revolution took the country by storm, significantly impacting the tourism industry. Tourists dwindled from 14 million in 2010 to just 9 million in 2015, according to the state-run Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS)
OVERCOMING THE TOURISM SLUMP
Once a thriving industry for artisans, the decline in tourism and the dominance of cheaper imported alternatives have the left the carpet-making industry struggling to survive.
“When tourism died, many artisans left and didn’t return,” El Hefnawi continues.
Struggling to sell carpets during this difficult time, he continued to go to his store every day.
“The carpet industry was weak, but I didn’t give up. I used to go every day to Sakkara for four years.”
And despite his struggles, he insisted on keeping all his artisans employed.
“I’m responsible for their well-being, for making sure they can pay their bills and put food on the table. There were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it. I sold my car and cut back on my spending to make sure that I could pay them and continue making carpets.”
The future entrepreneur, however, experienced a turn of events that would ultimately change the course of his business. For the first time ever, he received local customers, a woman and her soon-to-be married daughter. They had traveled all the way from Masr el Gedida, a suburb outside of Cairo, to Sakkara to buy carpets for the bride’s new home.
“This experience changed my life,” says El Hefnawi. “I decided from then on to make carpets for Egyptians. I left the store in Sakkara and bought a new one in 6th of October, a city in Giza governorate, to be closer to my customers.”
In 2016, Bijaar was born. With only fifty carpets to sell in his new store, he worked day and night to make ends meet. His hard work paid off and he succeeded in selling his carpets and went on to produce new ones. Today, he is one of the biggest producer of carpets in Egypt.
CREATING A NEW BEGINNING
What sets Bijaar apart from other carpet weaving stores is that it brings a new modern twist to authentic Egyptian designs.
“I am bold in my colors and designs. I can design a pink silk carpet!”
It seems that these modern designs and styles are liked by Egyptians. The store now sells cotton, wool and silk carpets in a variety of colors.
With demand picking up, El Hefnawi began focusing on his greatest asset - his artisans. Today, he employs more than 200 families across Egypt’s governorates - Rashid, Benya, Kafr El Sheikh, Sakkara - who work from home to create handmade authentic carpets for modern Egyptians.
“My carpets are made by families,” he says. “I feel connected to them. I’ve entered their homes and have seen their children. I want them to live well. I know the work may be hard, but it’s also rewarding. Now, their children can go to school and attend university. This makes me very happy.”
El Hefnawi believes that teaching youth the art of carpet making is key to reviving the industry.
“That’s of course very costly. I do what I can, but this needs to be a nationwide effort.”
Now, his goal is to open a new store in Cairo, enter international exhibitions and export his carpets abroad.
“I believe everyone has their time to succeed. Now, it’s my time.”