CAIRO - The Egyptian tent industry is doing very well in the holy fasting month of Ramadan, a season when tents are erected in streets and alleys and on pavements, in order to highlight sales of commodities, mawaaid el-rahman (mercy tables) or Ramadan nights and parties. Tents prices and types vary. Wael Fattouh, a tent-maker, says that the demand increases during the holy fasting month, especially from coffee shops and hotels. He adds that printed tents are cheap, while only the rich can afford the hand-made ones. "Printed tents cost between LE3.50 and LE7 per metre, depending on the material," Fattouh explains, adding that the hand-made ones are the original tents that have been manufactured in Egypt for millennia. Egypt's tent-making quarter is located el-Khiyamiya Street, one of the oldest streets in el-Herafiyeen (Craftsmen) district of Islamic Cairo. Blue, red and green are the most popular colours, with Islamic designs including Qur'anic verses, very appropriate in this holy month. Islam Farouq, another tent-maker, says that the craft is on its way out because of the increased use of modern technology. "We usually start preparing our tents in Shaaban [the month preceding Ramadan] and the tourists love them,” he explains.
