My understanding is that the authentic blankets were made by Berber women for their daughters while they were still quite young, and intended to be used as a part of their dowry at marriage. While they were treasured items, many women opted to sell their blankets in adulthood as the rise in all things “boho chic” created a demand. You know it’s a trend when companies such as Anthropologie get on board, right? Since you say you want authentic, you’ll need to educate yourself (as you appear to be doing) and find a seller that you feel you can wholeheartedly trust. The market appears to be rife with knockoffs and blankets that are designed “based upon” the originals. If you want authentic, be prepared to pay for it.

This is not unlike what’s happened in the Navajo rug market. Traditionally a Native American craft that became an enterprise due to tourism out west, knockoffs and similarly-designed products now come from places like India and Mexico, and are a real threat to the traditional, authentic weavings. This is unfortunate, and makes me much more agreeable to paying the higher prices that genuine Navajo pieces command. Good luck in your search. The “real deal” Moroccan blanket is a beautiful thing indeed.

I searched the internet, forums, blogs, and I could hardly find anything to learn about Handira. I suppose one can only rely on pictures on etsy