In Al-Alawi market, family keeps woodcraft tradition alive despite competition from imports

FALLUJAH — In a small workshop tucked inside Fallujah’s Al-Alawi market, the sons of Haj Abdul Ghafour are preserving a craft handed down through generations — producing handcrafted wooden tools and furniture that continue to attract customers despite the influx of imported goods from China and elsewhere.

“We inherited this craft from our father and grandfather,” said Abdulkarim Abdul Ghafour, a carpenter and woodturner. “We work with various types of wood and produce everything from staircase bases and old-style nightstands to traditional items like shisha bases and oars.”

Abdulkarim and his brothers also carve baby swings, Quran recitation chairs, wooden stools, and construction tools such as mallets and pickaxes. They rely on locally sourced willow, mulberry, walnut, and oak — woods they say outperform cheaper alternatives in both strength and longevity.

“Imported furniture affected our work to some extent,” he said. “Many young craftsmen have quit the trade, but we still get orders — sometimes even without a request in advance. Customers come from Baghdad, Ramadi, Hilla, Tikrit, and Hit.”

The family offers a 10- to 15-year guarantee on pieces made from natural wood. “There’s no such warranty for imported wood,” Abdulkarim said. “Foreign products may look appealing, but they’re weak and don’t last. Ours are built to endure.”

The workshop also uses white wood for paddles and teak or tropical hardwoods for larger pieces. Despite competition from mass-produced imports, the Ghafour family’s reputation for craftsmanship and reliability keeps their tools and furnishings in demand.

Customer Mohammed Dardou’ praised the workshop’s commitment to quality. “Our fathers and grandfathers used to buy wooden tools like mallets and axes from this same place,” he said. “Their products last much longer than the commercial ones flooding the market, especially those from China or unknown sources.”

“As construction workers, we use their mallets for laying bricks — imported ones break quickly,” he added. “The Ghafour brothers fear God and give us honest, high-quality work. May God reward them.”