In Dubai Textile Shopping

YOUR FREE GUIDE TO

TEXTILE SHOPPING

Introduction General Guidelines

Accommodation Weather The Local People Dress code & General conduct

Tourist Options

Sightseeing Desert excursions Water excursions

Textiles Old town/Creek-side area - Bur Dubai side Dubai Creek Old town/Creek-side area - Deira side Satwa and Jumeirah Beach Road Malls Out of Town Markets

Last thoughts

For most people, Dubai is a stopover, somewhere where they spend a few hours or days before moving on. Although seldom a destination on its own, Dubai is known as a shopping destination, a place where bargains can be found. But with little time at hand, it might be a missed opportunity for most uninformed travellers.

This guide will lead you through the maze that is Dubai. It will tell you where to go, how to get there and what you will find there. It is aimed at people interested in textiles. Anything from traditional ethnic textiles, to modern fabric, to notions and haberdashery. Even if you are just interested in looking, touching (who can resist that?) and photographing beautiful textiles, this will be a handy guide.

General Guidelines Accommodation

For the purpose of this guide we assume that your accommodation is taken care of. Dubai is easy to navigate and wherever you are based, you will be within easy access to most places.

We.ather

Dubai is in the desert. There’s no getting away from it. Even the cooler months are not cold. The best time to visit is from October to April, with December and January as the perfect time. Temperatures are between 15 and 30 C and being outside is really enjoyable. It is also the time of year when most outdoor activities, like markets, festivals and concerts are in full swing.

The hotter months from May to September are less enjoyable and it is hard to spend a lot of time outdoors. Many attractions close for the peak summer period of July and August when temperatures hover in the mid to high 40’s C.

The Local People

In general, the local Emirati population are extremely friendly, welcoming and hospitable. The city is safe, and the crime rate is very low. Dubai is a melting pot of different cultures. Although this is an Arabic country, you will see, experience and buy things that come from all over the world. Many textile shops are owned and run by Indian or Pakistani people, many items are imported from China and the rest of Asia and often shop assistants are Filipino. English is the business language and you do not need to understand Arabic to visit any of the places mentioned in this guide.

This is a Muslim country and a modest dress is advised. It is also a tourist destination and the local population is tolerant and welcoming to all. Normal everyday dress of trousers/skirt and top/t-shirt is acceptable. You will often see tourists dressed in shorts and strappy tops without problems, but the guidelines are to cover shoulders and knees.

Alcohol is readily available in hotels and restaurants inside hotels. You are free to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer, but public drunkenness won’t be tolerated. Public transport is safe, clean and affordable. The Dubai Metro is very reliable and easy to use. Taxi’s and Uber are safe and affordable options.

Keep in mind that in the old part of town and the more traditional shopping areas like Satwa, Bur Dubai and Deira, the shops and souks close during the afternoon, from midday prayers until around 4 pm. The streets come alive at night and most places stay open until around 10:30 pm. Plan your trip to do sightseeing and shopping in the morning, then take a break, have lunch, visit a museum or mall during the early afternoon. Start your next round of sightseeing and shopping in the late afternoon and evening. In the cooler months it is lovely to be outside at night with open-air eateries and entertainment everywhere. Tourist Options Sightseeing There are two big bus companies offering hop-on, hop-off tours to the main attractions. This is a good option if you want to get an overview of the city or see lots of things in a short time. Desert Excursions There are several desert safari companies and your hotel concierge will help you with recommendations and bookings. A desert safari includes a drive out to the desert, a ‘dune bashing’ trip through the sand, and an evening meal and entertainment at a ‘Bedouin camp’. It is a tourist activity with the obligatory camel rides, shisha smoking and belly dancer included. For those of us living here, it is a bit touristy but if you have never been in the desert, it is a safe, fun way to experience lots of sand and some off-road driving. Water Excursions

The Creek is buzzing with boats, ferries, abras, and dhows of all shapes and sizes. When visiting the old Creek, crossing with an abra (a water taxi) is part of the experience. It is cheap, fast and part of life in that part of the city.

The Dubai ferry is a highly recommended way to see the city from the sea. It travels between the Dubai Marina and the Creek at scheduled times. The route takes you from the marina around the Palm Jumeirah, down the coast, into the new Dubai Canal, past all the new off-shore developments and into the Dubai Creek to deliver you in the old town. The ferry is modern, air-conditioned, safe and affordable.

This is what it’s all about, right? We’re going to walk through the main textile destinations, area by area. In each area I will highlight other noteworthy stops like museums and point out good places to eat.

We’re going local now, so no flashy tourist-brochure ideas here. I even made some hand-drawn maps to help you find your way. Old Town/Creek-side: Bur Dubai side

This is a colourful pedestrian street with small shops crammed close together on each side. Retail shops selling pashminas and shawls, clothes, jewellery, shoes and ceramics sit side by side. Be prepared to be accosted by the shop owners greeting you, inviting you in, and generally working hard to attract some business. Some people may find this harassing, but I suggest you take it in your stride, enjoy the banter but don’t be intimidated. It is a vibrant place with colourful people. At the top end of the souk is a row of textile wholesalers. Their wares look enticing and beautiful, but they are agents, only supplying to retailers.

Once past the first row of shops, at a kink in the road, you will find a few housewares shops selling colourful ceramic wares made right here in the UAE. You will also find the entrance to Bayt Al Wakeel restaurant. A lovely local eatery right on the water’s edge. It is the perfect spot to watch the abras and other watercraft buzzing by.

At that same kink in the road but on the opposite side, is a narrow alleyway taking you to a parking lot behind the souk. There you will have a nice view of a blue mosque – a good photo opportunity.

At the top end of the souk is a narrow ally accessing the Hindu quarters where several Hindu temples sit close together. It is lined with tiny Hindu shops selling fresh flower garlands, incense and other religious trinkets. It is the only place in Dubai where you will experience it. If you turn towards the water’s edge at this point you will come to an open courtyard with a few shops around. Compared to the rest of the souk it is a quiet area, but this is where you will find one of my favourite shops – Chuk. Palu, a treasure trove of handcraft, carpets and bags from Afghanistan.

Dubai Museum

The Dubai Museum is located inside the Al Fahidi Fort, just around the corner from the Textile souk. It is a compact museum and can be taken in in a couple of hours. It is informative, fun and user-friendly. It shows the old way of living in Dubai before the discovery of oil and in the days of the pearl trade. It is also a great place to see some of the clothes and textiles from that era.

The Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is one of the oldest parts of town and houses several heritage organisations. The most popular is the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. The centre offers a range of activities, from traditional Emirati breakfast events to conversations with local Emiratis. They have an open doors, open minds philosophy an encourages visitors to ask any questions no matter how sensitive. Two of my favourite galleries are located here: XVA Gallery which also include a guest house, a cafe and a gallery shop where you will find some traditional textiles. The Majlis Gallery is the oldest fine art gallery in Dubai and showcases wonderful art from local artists. They also offer a range of workshops. You will find a carpet and textile shop and several art and craft shops here. It is a lovely area to spend a few hours.

Al Seef

This is a fairly new development adjacent to Al Fahidi, following the water's edge. Al Seef is a retail area and hotel built in the style of old Dubai. The area have a myriad of shops and eateries where you will find lots of textiles, clothes, artefacts and handicraft. It s a great new addition to old Dubai.

Shindaga Historical Neighbourhood

This area is undergoing a revitalisation process. It is the oldest neighbourhood in Dubai and the area where the Maktoum family lived in the days before the discovery of oil and the subsequent development of the city. It is a tradit.ional Arab neighbourhood with narrow alleys, surprise courtyards and old architecture. It will house 11 different museums including craft, textiles and traditional dress, jewellery and perfume; restaurants and other traditional places, telling the history of the area. At present (September 2019) it is almost finished but not officially opened yet.

Meena Bazaar

This is the commercial shopping area behind the Dubai Museum. It consist of a few street blocks of low rise buildings housing shops on street level and apartments above. Here you will find many textile and garment shops catering to the Indian and Pakistani tastes. Sumptuous, richly embellished fabrics and sari's. Most of these shops include a tailoring service that can create wonderful Bollywood inspired outfits and garments. If you are planning a wedding, a prom or similar event, this is the perfect place to shop for fabrics.

The best way to get to the Deira side of the Creek is to take an abra across from the Textile souk towards the Spice souk. This will bring you to pass the cargo dhows - working cargo boats transporting goods between Dubai, Iran and the subcontinent. It is fascinating to see how they pack these wooden boats with everything from cars and electronics to carpets and groceries. You also get a small peek into the living conditions of the dhow crews.

Other options on the Creek, if you have more time, is to have dinner on board one of the many dhows offering dinner cruises. You can also charter a dhow for a few hours to take you further up the Creek towards the more modern side of town. Old Town/Creek side area: Deira side

If you cross the creek by abra, you will land right in front of the spice souk. It is quite touristy here, so be prepared. The souk consists of two narrow lanes with small spice shops on both sides. The shop owners will work hard to entice you to taste, smell and buy. Don’t be intimidated but embrace the experience to ask questions and learn about exotic ingredients. And buy Saffron from Iran.

Gold souk

Just a short distance up the road from the Spice souk is the entrance to the Gold souk consisting of one covered pedestrian walkway lined with jewellery stores on both sides. The displays are jaw-dropping. The designs are very elaborate and not always to the Western taste. Many items are made of 24-carat gold which is very yellow. In recent years many shops adapted their inventory to cater to the tourists’ taste. Gold sell at the current market rate and most shop owners are open to negotiating. You might be approached by people offering to show you reproduction designer handbags and watches. I suggest you avoid this, as it is illegal. Haberdashery souk

Once you exit the Gold souk on the far end keep walking along Naif Street for about two street blocks until you reach Al Sabka street. You will find lots of haberdashery shops in the next block or two, on both sides of the street and in the small side streets and alley ways. These shops looks like nothing from the outside but once inside it is like entering Aladdin's cave. Buttons, beads, trimmings, ribbons, lace, and much more stacked to the ceiling.

Keep in mind that these are wholesale shops, which means you have to buy the whole roll of trim or the whole box of beads. They don't count out small numbers and they don't cut to measure. But this is good! You can walk out of there with a whole bag of treasures!

Dubai Women's Museum

This is a small museum showcasing the role that Emirati women played in the history of the country as well as their contribution to politics, healthcare, business and social welfare. It has a beautiful permanent exhibition including some fine examples of traditional dress, face covers and jewellery. They also have a gallery showcasing temporary exhibitions by Emirati female artists.

If you visit the Naif souk in the same outing as the Haberdashery souk, you can just keep walking down Naif Street until you get to 9A Street where you turn right. If you come by taxi or car, aim for the Naif Police Station. Naif souk is a building with small shops selling traditional Arabic garments, perfumes and trinkets. There are a few fabric shops on the outside facing the street.

On the opposite side of 9A Street from Naif souk is a building called Kuwaity Building. This is where the real treasures are. The whole building is just fabric shops. It has a massive range and is quite affordable. On the outside of this building in Deira Street is another huge haberdashery store.

If you follow Deira street back towards the creek, past Naif souk for about one street block, you will find a shop called HTC. They are agents for Janome, sell sewing machine parts for different makes as well as proper tailor's scissors and other tools.

Satwa and Jumeirah Beach Road

Satwa

This is the place where most expats go to buy fabric. It is easily accessible, has a good range and access to good tailors. Satwa is an old neighbourhood with busy streets and lots of life. Shops of the same kind tend to be grouped together so you will find a row of electronic stores followed by a row of hardware stores followed by a row of car accessories stores, etc. Between all the bustle you will find the row of fabric stores. Remember the local shopping hours - open in the mornings - closed in the afternoons - open in the evenings. Plan your trip accordingly.

A good landmark is the public parking area next to Satwa Big Mosque. Across the street from there, you will find Regal Fabrics, Srour Textiles (a favourite), and Deepa's Textile and Trading. In the same row is Fida General Trading - an excellent haberdashery and notion store. You can wander up and down this road for more, smaller textile shops.

In the alleys between the buildings are tailor shops where you can have garments made. It takes a few days depending on how busy they are, and prices vary. In general, the days of super bargains are over, but you can negotiate.

Satwa is a good place to find affordable local food. The street cafes and shwarma joints offer good vibes and cheap food. Ravi's is a good choice.

If quilting and more traditional sewing is your thing, it might be worth popping into these shops. These are proper fabric stores and not a souk. Fabric is available in yardage and fat quarters.

Classis Quilts has been a Dubai institution since 2005. Mother and daughter team Mala and Aish, teach quilting, run workshops, and are the general quilting hub in Dubai. They are agents for Bernina and they offer a long-arm quilting service. In the Jumeirah Plaza Centre.

Craftland sells quilting fabric, yarns, embroidery floss, books and other needle-craft tools and equipment. They offer classes and workshops and are agents for Pfaff and Brother machines. They are in Town Centre Jumeirah. Malls

Most malls have the obligatory curio and tourist shops selling pashminas and other traditional textiles. You will also find most of the popular high-end fashion labels and designer shops in every mall. There are not really any proper textile shops inside the malls but here are a few textile highlights:

Dubai Mall

Fashion Avenue, a fairly new extension to the mall, looks and feels like an art gallery. It is spacious and luxurious, and the shop fronts look like art installations. It is a wonderful experience to walk through and appreciate excellent design, glitz and glamour. You will also find public art installations throughout this area often with a textile or fashion theme.

Kinokunya Book Shop is another must-stop. They have a wide range of textile, fashion, design, craft and art books. It is difficult to walk out of there empty handed.

It is a lovely place to end a day’s outings – enjoy a meal overlooking the Dubai Fountains and the light displays on Burj Khalifa.

Souk Madinat Jumeirah

This is a mall built in the style of a traditional souk and includes shops, restaurants and a theatre. It has a lovely atmosphere and you will find several unique shops here selling beautiful pashminas, embroidered dresses and beaded garments. It has a range of restaurants with outdoor, waterside eating areas and a beautiful view of the Burj Al Arab.

Copyright: Ansie van der Walt https://www.thefabricthread.com Out of Town These destinations are a bit off the beaten track. You need to plan ahead and either have your own car or take a taxi/Uber. Global Village It looks like a massive showground. Global Village is an outdoor venue consisting of several pavilions representing different countries or regions, a fairground with rides, live entertainment areas and lots of food vendors and restaurants. It is only open in the cooler months from 4 pm onward - an evening destination. If you understand what it is and have the right expectation, it is an affordable, fun outing.

There are a lot of textiles. Most of it is finished garments in varying degrees of quality and style, but you will also find some wonderful fabrics there. My favourite is the Pakistan pavilion. It is almost exclusively textiles – wonderfully colourful, richly embroidered and luxuriously decorated. It is mostly satins, silks, sari’s, organza’s, voiles, etc. Not a lot of cotton or linens. The Indian, Turkish and Moroccan pavilions also have good fabrics and some of them have artisans demonstrating their work.

Camel souk The camel souk is in the small village of Lisali, out on the Al Ain road. This is a working camel farmers market selling camel and horse paraphernalia – feeds, saddles, medicines, etc. The main reason to trek out here would be the camel blankets, normally used to cover the camels’ back but popular as tablecloths and bedspreads. The shops are small and look like absolutely nothing from the outside. This is a bit of a hit and miss expedition as stock and blanket styles change all the time. You can either find something really nice, or you can waste your time. I’ve done both. Markets In the cooler months of the year several outdoor markets pop up over the weekends. Keep an eye on the local press and check their websites and social media for details on the day.

Ripe Markets: It is run by Ripe, an organic fresh food initiative but includes stalls selling a range of curated high quality products, both commercially made and handcrafted. You can find some real treasures here. They also have food trucks and children's entertainment. A nice outing for the whole family.

ARTE - The Makers' Market: Artisans of the Emirates is a handcraft, art, design and fashion market where you can buy anything from handmade soaps to wall art to fashion. These items are all handmade by local residents, both Emiratis and expats. You also have the opportunity to meet the makers in person.

Marina Souq: Curated market for fashion, accessories and home decor by 30 Dubai based designers. Located in the small Fishing Harbour (next to the DOSC and fish market) off Um Suqueim 1.

I have found over the years that disappointment happens when expectations and reality don’t match up. When things are not the way we imagined them to be we tend to blame reality for not living up to our expectations. But I believe a lot of disappointment can be avoided by making sure we have realistic expectations.

This is what I’ve tried to offer in this guide – realistic expectations. Dubai is a wonderful place to shop for fabrics, but you have to know where to look and you have to understand what you will find and what you will not find. While researching this guide I realised that almost all of the fabrics for sale in Dubai are imported. Even things that are regarded as ‘local’ or ‘traditional’ like pashminas and head scarfs are not made here.

But this is the true Dubai – a trading post. A melting pot and a place where people from different cultures come together, wonderfully and abundantly hosted by the Emirati people.

Initially, I wanted to add art galleries and other places where visitors can see beautiful things without necessarily buying it, but it was just getting too much. I could also include craft and textiles from the other emirates, but again, it’s just too much for this guide. Keep an eye on the blog as I will visit all these places over time.

One of the few sure things about Dubai is that things change all the time. The city grows, people come and go, and businesses start up and close down. This guide was correct at time of publication. If you find anything different or find something not included that you want me to add, let me know. I will update this guide on a regular basis.

Enjoy your textile shopping and your visit to Dubai!

Ansie