Wool Batts from Palestinian Heritage Sheep — Restocking Soon

Since ancient times, sheep have been central to Palestinian life. Their meat and milk have shaped regional cuisine. Artisans wove their wool into tents and floor mats and bundled it to make mattresses. Together with other fibers like cotton, wool helped shape traditions such as embroidery, which tells local—and even family—stories through its patterns.

It all starts with the shepherds, who maintain generations-old practices of tending their flocks with skill and care. In an era of hybridization and selective breeding to maximize meat or milk production, shepherds in the South Hebron Hills continue to preserve the region’s heritage sheep. Yet the spread of fast fashion and mass production has endangered sustainable, small-scale practices worldwide. 

The situation is especially dire in Occupied Palestine. In Thiwani, where we source our wool, Israeli military forces and settlers have blocked Palestinian shepherds from accessing their planting and grazing lands. Sheep have been killed, poisoned, and mutilated, and villagers themselves have been attacked. These actions have cut off nearly all possibilities for income and daily life.

Supporting the shepherds of Thiwani is one of Handmade Palestine’s most impactful projects. For many years, we have sold Christmas treasures made from their wool by Bethlehem crafters.

Now, we are proud to make wool batts available directly to fiber artists and makers around the world.

Whether you’re a spinner, weaver, knitter, or felter, you’ll love this soft, sturdy wool, available in both natural and dyed colors. As you work with it, a bit of Palestine comes to life in your hands—and every object you make carries Palestine’s story out into the world.