Morocco Moves to Protect Traditional Caftan with Certification Label

The examination and development of the specifications and regulations for the creation of a label and a collective certification mark for the Moroccan caftan were at the heart of a working workshop organized on Friday in Fez by the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy in collaboration with the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity through the Marrakech Crafts Training and Qualification Center. "Faced with growing unfair competition, the ministry has launched a project to label the Moroccan caftan," said Moha Errich, Director of Heritage Preservation, Innovation and Promotion at the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, stating that it is a question of creating a collective certification mark that will facilitate the marketing of the caftan nationally and internationally, while guaranteeing its authenticity.

"By registering this brand nationally and internationally, we ensure that the Moroccan caftan is a 100% Moroccan product," he added. "Unfortunately, our cultural heritage is often subject to counterfeiting, piracy and appropriation by certain countries that try to claim a heritage of which they do not possess the constituent elements," added Abderrahim Belkhayat, regional director of crafts in Fez with the MAP, specifying that the objective of this workshop is to define a specification for the use of the collective mark of the Moroccan caftan. "This brand will help safeguard this product that symbolizes our identity and unites us. It will also contribute to strengthening our influence at the international tourist level," he explained.

It should be noted that key players in the craft sector, including representatives of the Department of Crafts at the central and local levels, the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, the Department of Culture, as well as experts and professionals in the caftan, in particular specialized artisans, designers and stylists, actively participated in the work.