About Us

Tuskiiz, also known as tus kiyiz, түскиіз or тұс киіз, are traditional Kazakh hand-embroidered wall hangings that hold significant cultural value in Kazakh heritage. These tapestries are typically displayed inside nomadic yurts and provide a beautiful backdrop for beds and sitting areas.

The majority of Tuskiiz are large, hand-crafted masterpieces, measuring up to 2 meters long, with an unfinished bottom, symbolizing the beautiful imperfection of humanity. Each Tuskiiz is uniquely designed with different colors and patterns, requiring several months of effort and painstaking hand-stitched embroidery. 

Kazakh women spend countless hours, sometimes even under candlelight, to complete their Tuskiiz, which can take up to a year.

Despite being a culturally important and historically significant heritage, Tuskiiz have been under-represented and under-valued. As a nomadic Kazakh who grew up in western Mongolia, I witnessed my grandmother and other elderly women hand-embroidering Tuskiiz throughout the day. Their patience, commitment, and consistency always amazed me. Once completed, they proudly displayed their accomplishments by gifting them to their beloved daughters or sisters or displaying them in their own yurt. They often tried to pass on their hand embroidery knowledge to the younger generation, but unfortunately, very few have learned or continued this effort.

Our goal is to promote and raise awareness of these underrepresented and beautiful masterpieces and spark a renewed appreciation for this unique cultural tradition by implementing their designs and patterns in modern art and products.

Through our platforms, we not only present a range of vintage ethnic Tuskiiz tapestries in a contemporary context that we have collected over the past 20 years, but also showcase and market modern arts and products based on the patterns and ethnic designs of the Tus Kiiz. Our collection includes Tuskiiz dating back to the 1890s, and we have tried to preserve as many as possible since they have become exceedingly rare.

Sincerely, 

Marina Khashat