The Souls Behind Prickly Pears: An Ode to Craft and Culture Vol II

There is a kind of devotion that doesn’t seek applause.It sits quietly in the choices we make, the traditions we protect, and the promises we keep to what came before us. For Bengisu, Prickly Pears has always been rooted in such devotion; grounded in respect for craft, patience, and the integrity of every piece created by the hands of Anatolian weavers.

“Prickly Pears for me is a commitment to the skill of Anatolian weavers, to patience, to craft, and to the integrity of every piece. It’s about ownership: letting these crafts live in their true form, presented with respect, never reshaped, re-branded, or diluted to fit someone else’s notion of what ‘traditional’ should be.”

Those words live beyond the page, shaping Bengisu’s relationship with craft since the earliest days of Prickly Pears.

The Heart of the Journey

Every journey has a rhythm; moments of stillness, devotion, and intention that quietly shape the whole. At the heart of Bengisu’s journey lies a deep sense of belonging: to home, to family, and to the crafts that carry memory across generations. Her relationship with Prickly Pears has been built slowly, through care, patience, and an unwavering respect for authenticity.

As we dive into her story more deeply, here are a few fragments from her everyday life; the things that ground her, inspire her, and shape the way she shows up for this work.

Her morning ritual: Waking up alongside her cat, then quietly planning the day ahead. Mornings are less about rushing and more about setting an intention.

A book that shaped her: Not a single title, but a collection of books from her childhood and early teenage years; stories that slowly shaped her inner world and sense of curiosity.

Comfort, for her: Family. The kind of comfort that doesn’t need words, only presence.

Her go-to Prickly Pears piece: Anything from the Terra and Lütfi series. Pieces that feel grounded, familiar, and honest; much like home.

A song that always feels like summer: Tarkan – Şımarık. Effortless, nostalgic, and forever tied to warm memories.

A craft she deeply admires: Kutnu; the quiet mastery of Anatolian weaving; patient hands, inherited knowledge, and a rhythm passed down through generations.

Her dream table setting: A table surrounded by friends and family, where food is shared slowly and conversations stretch long into the evening.

You’ll most likely find her: At home. She’s a true homebody, finding joy in the simplicity of familiar spaces.

Her dream destination: Hawaii; drawn to its deep respect for nature, community, and ancestral traditions.

Craft, Culture, and Deep Inspiration

What inspires Bengisu most about Prickly Pears isn’t only the beauty of textiles; it’s the deeper belief that indigenous arts and crafts, and the heritage they carry, should return to the hands of the people who created them. She carries a profound respect for tradition, and her work is always a conversation between past and present; never forcing reinterpretation, but rather honoring authenticity and continuity.

Through Prickly Pears, she hopes these traditions are not only valued, but felt in everyday life, in the quiet moments when someone may wrap themselves in a handwoven textile, pause in its gentle weight, or trace its texture with memory in mind. Her vision is simple yet powerful: crafts deserve to live in their true form, with meaning intact, not reshaped to suit outside expectations, but held with respect where they belong. Something woven by hand can carry both resilience and tenderness. Through these threads, we can keep a part of ourselves alive.

In a world that often asks for louder, faster, newer, Bengisu’s voice is a reminder that depth is found in reverence; for people, for craft, for heritage. Prickly Pears is her way of tending to that reverence, thread by thread, piece by piece. And through it all, she invites us to slow down, to see beauty in honesty, and to carry forward traditions with care because authentic craft isn’t just made… it is sustained.

With gratitude,

The Prickly Pears Sisters 🌿

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“Sustainability is about ownership: letting these crafts live in their true form, presented with respect, never reshaped, re-branded, or diluted to fit someone else’s notion of what ‘traditional’ should be.”

— Bengisu, Co-creator of Prickly Pears