WHAT WE DO?The Story
Ṭrāblos, or Tripoli, is historically a cluster of three fragrant orange orchards cities.
Through the ages, Tripoli earned recognition for many crafts and industries among
which woodcraft dating back to the 1850’s.
Recalling a golden era
The city’s craftsmanship grew in fame and Tripoli became a regional hub for luxury and beautifully crafted furniture. For more than half a century, wood was a vital part of the city’s existence, a traditional art and main source of livelihood.
People of this city were born here and have lived and breathed wood from birth, as their ancestors did before them.
Following long years of war, this golden era ceased to be. Tripoli’s woodcraft industry
suffered deeply from many ailments leading to decline and disregard. Lately the situation was worsening due to the emergence of low-cost imported furniture dominating the market. Something needed to be done!
How it started
Facing a crumbling industry and a massive drop in furniture manufacturing, the Private Sector Development (PSD) Program, funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, has identified an opportunity for a potential revival of the industry, raising the necessity to facilitate the communication and access to market for Tripoli wood furniture suppliers, tightening as such the existing gap between them and the market demand.
Within the scope of this program, the organization created Minjara, a common platform and brand for furniture producers to help them elevate their skills and develop their productivity.
THE END RESULTDiscover Minjara
Minjara is a brand that features the works of renowned furniture producers in Tripoli
and brings them together under one umbrella. The label will undergo strict control at every stage of production ensuring the best quality standards to customers who should expect nothing but the finest products and services.
Capturing the essence and unique know-how of this sector in Lebanon, Minjara positions itself as a hub for business support to Tripoli’s manufacturing community.
For this cause, a value chain information system was created along with marketing
strategies and a physical facility was installed at Rachid Karami International Fair, where designers and manufacturers meet to develop and showcase their best creations.
Today, we build our brand on a solid foundation of heritage and a modern vision of rising yet again. Through mutual trust, professional service and enhanced competitiveness, we are determined to keep this woodcraft tradition alive by revamping shops, introducing professional work systems and most of all requiring strict quality regulations. By applying these crucial steps, we aim at attracting local and regional architects, interiors designers, product designers and consumers to Tripoli’s furniture hub.
MINJARA BRAND VALUES
RELIABILITY
We stand as honest, hardworking people and our furniture reflects our heritage. We offer high-end quality, made to last and withstand the toughest conditions.
FLEXIBILITY
We’re a cluster of many companies with different skills and expertise. We are flexible and open to adjust to change. We believe in creativity and turning ideas into desired furniture that mimics your unique lifestyle. Our knowledge molds to your needs and allows you to live it the way we know you deserve.
INCLUSIVITY
Nothing should stand between you and the furniture you want. We believe in making great products that can help everyone own quality customized designs at competitive costs.
GENUINITY
True and authentic is what we are. When we deal with people we speak a language of sincerity and passion, with a touch of art, heritage and taste.
THE ESSENCE OF INTERIOR DESIGNMinjara platform
Minjara’s activities are set in the iconic Rachid Karame International Fair of Tripoli.
Spread on a 1500 m2 building located on the fair site, this integrated platform is a melting pot of different talents and a hub designed to facilitate the product development from ideation, prototyping area, and machinery to extensive training and open access to designers. The location serves as well as a showroom for branded Minjara items.
How the platform works
- We provide general promotion of the wood sector and Minjara as a local and trusted label.
- We organize networking events for members to stimulate innovative activities through exchange and transfer of knowledge and competences.
- We organization of conferences and thematic visits.
- We manage technical working groups around the themes of wood production, processing and use.
- We search and analyze innovative projects.
- We identify and manage strategic flagship projects.
- We offer technology watch at national and international level to facilitate new product development and material research in a state of the art facility based in Rachid Karami International Fair.
- We give support to wood sector SMEs and start-ups. Our interventions target small producers of traditional designs that can be resistant to change, and a smaller community of SMEs that are open to modernization and development.
