Keffiyeh – A Fashion Accessory Or A Controversy

Keffiyeh or kufiya, got its origin from Arabic language; meaning ‘from the city of Kufa’. Keffiyeh is the traditional headdress that was used to be worn primarily by people of Middle East. Though Keffiyeh mainly symbolises the Palestinian Nationalism, it has been worn by Arabs all across the globe.

Initially Keffiyeh was worn as a protective covering for face and eyes. There were times when it was considered to be just an ideal shield against harsh sun rays and dust storms. But later this simple chequered pattern cloth piece became an iconic symbol.

It was until 1960’s that Keffiyeh was taken as a simple Arab headgear. Soon after its adoption by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Keffiyeh became the trademark symbol of the Palestinian nation and its fight for independence. The black and white fringed scarf was being associated with Palestinian Nationalism on a much wider scale.  

In late 1980’s, Keffiyehs emerged as a fashion accessory. Ever-changing fashion trends gave birth to a versatile Keffiyeh that can be worn as a scarf around the neck, draped across the shoulder or tied on a head as a trendy headgear. Multiple color schemes and pattern variations gave Keffiyeh a totally new look and a significance on an altogether different level. The fashion scene of the year 2000 introduced Keffiyeh as a trendy scarf that was equally liked by Muslims and non-Muslims across the world. People of all faiths and origins started wearing Keffiyeh as the latest fashion accessory. Mass production of Keffiyehs by China gave a thriving boost to its use as a style accessory and a fashion gear.

However, regardless of Keffiyehs’ high demand in the fashion world, this Arabic headgear has an intense political significance. American clothing chain, Urban Outfitters, had to face huge controversy for introducing Keffiyeh in their clothing range. They gave a controversial label to this clothing article; ‘anti-war scarves’. This pushed Urban Outfitters into a complicated situation and eventually they had to pull the item to avoid any adverse consequences.

Keffiyeh is still considered as a style statement in United States, Europe, Canada and Australia. Regardless of its popularity in the fashion world and its continual use in The West one cannot deny the controversies attached to this Palestinian symbol. No doubt Keffiyeh is a chic trend for fashionistas, but the implications of promoting this symbolic statement can be multifaceted. 

Plastic Free Life

Contents:

·         Introduction

·         Sources of plastic bags

·         Toxicity of plastic bags

·         Solutions

One of the most often nagged about “bad guys” in the environmental battle is plastic bags. Plastic bags contamination is gigantic and at the same time intensely personal environmental problem. We touch and see plastic every day of our lives. With every visit to the grocery store we can readily see our waste footprint grow. Plastic is found in essentially everything these days. While most plastics are publicized as recyclable, the reality is that they're “down-cycled.” A plastic milk pack can never be recycled into another pack — it can be made into a lower-quality item like plastic planks, which can’t be recycled.

Millions of plastic bags are given out to consumers by hypermarkets and stores to carry their goods in. They are cheap, light, long-lasting, easy to carry and in many cases, free. Most commonly used shopping bags are made up of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). After these bags are castoff, they often end up in landfills or as litter. Plastics are considered as pollutants because these are non-biodegradable & cannot be decomposed into environmentally safe materials by the action of soil bacteria (aerobic or anaerobic digestion). These are toxic and take roughly four hundred years to breakdown.

Although Plastic bags are appear to be delicate and light, their negative environmental effects are devastating. They may cause large amounts of pollution in every step of life cycle.  Manufacturing of plastic bags subsidizes to air pollution and energy consumption. It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down into smaller compounds. They can have a detrimental effect on marine animals and wildlife in addition to the aesthetic effects on beaches, parks and trees. These are potentially one of the key reasons of death to marine animals. Up to 100,000 marine animals die each year from eating plastic bags which are mistaken for food. This results in obstruction of animal’s intestines, choking & immobility and sometimes as bio-magnification. 

As a solution to these types of problem is to take action by educating and increasing the public’s awareness to the damaging effects that a plastic bag impose on our environment. Applying this would mean to get consumers involved in reducing the number of plastic bags they use. Another important elucidation would be using biodegradable jute bags that take up a shorter time to degrade. Research should be made in to making bio-degradable plastic bags so people could use these ones instead of the non-biodegradable.

Usage of plastic bags is very limited unlike their infinite damages. They are harmful to health, the environment and wildlife. The solutions to put an end to the problems associated with plastic bags are available, collaboration between governments, shops and individuals is vital to take the necessary actions by reducing, reusing and recycling plastic bags.

White People & Keffiyeh: Solidarity vs. Cultural Appropriation

Keffiyeh, or Kufiya is a checkered head scarf typically worn around the heads or neck of Arabs. In the past, and even now, it has become a symbol of Palestinian Solidarity. Also, recently keffiyeh has gained popularity in the United States as a ‘hipster’ fashion, and in Tokyo with shorts. In short, a keffiyeh is something, that means a lot to the people of Palestine, and its supporters, and it has meant a lot to them since quite some time in the past as well. To see it being flaunted as a fashion accessory has become rather offensive for them.

Solidarity

Although a Keffiyeh was traditionally worn by Palestinian farmers, it became a symbol for the continuous ongoing Palestine-Israel issue during the Arab Revolt in 1930.

It gained popularity amongst activists and supporters when a Palestinian Liberation Leader Yasser Arafat donned it during the Palestinian resistance in the 1960s. Since then, it has been worn by numerous political leaders and activists associated, and sympathizing with the Palestinian conflict. People all over the world wear the black and white Keffiyeh, to show their solidarity and support.

Nevertheless, there are quite a few people who are exceptionally against the Keffiyeh. They have rendered everyone who sports a Keffiyeh as symbol of support as a terrorist and are often harsh towards them.

Cultural Appropriation

If at one place a Keffiyeh represents an extremely dark and serious side of the world and history, it has also become a fashion trend. People, especially from the United States have adopted this fish-net patterned piece of cloth, as a fashion accessory. The trend started way back in the 1980s, when Jewish boys wore it around their necks. Afterwards it died down a bit. Then the youth of Tokyo adopted the Keffiyeh along with camouflage type clothing. There has been a recent surge in a production and purchase of Keffiyeh after some fashion magazines portrayed them as an accessory.

What matters the most is, that after the global popularity of the Keffiyeh, there has been an immense amount of production in China. This in turn has taken over the businesses in Palestine which prided themselves in the mastering the art of making a Keffiyeh. Which then further capsizes the Palestinian economy. The question that arises is, if you truly support the Palestinian cause, then the best way to help them is to buy these scarves right form the local manufacturers. Your effort may be a small contribution, but drop by drop it my help the manufacturers through.