Design Meanings

Bliss or Misery is a stanza from the famous Rubayyat of famous Islamic Persian poet, philosopher, mathematician, and scientist, Omar Khayyam.

Omar Khayyam عمر خیّام‎; was born on the 18th of May 1048 and passed away on the 4th of December 1131. Omar Khayyam was born in an area north-eastern of the historical land of Persia, in a city called Nishapur, now modern day Razavi Khorasan Province in Iran. Omar Khayyam was a multi-talented man. He was a poet, a mathematician, a philosopher, and an astronomer. He shined the most during the Seljuks state, close to the time of the First Crusade.

In astronomy, his works where highlighted through his development of the Jalali calendar. The Jalali calendar is a solar calendar using an incredibly focused 33-year intercalation cycle. His calendar was used as the basis for the Persian calendar that is still around after almost a millennium. In mathematics, two of his most known works are his contribution to the understanding of the parallel axiom as well as providing geometric solutions of cubic equations. In poetry, Omar Khayyam's quatrains (rubāʿiyāt رباعیات‎) came as a definition of Persian poetry. 

The Persian calligraphy writing "بر لوح’ نشانِ بودنى ها بوده ست.      بيوسته قلم ز نيكـ وبد فرسوده ست       در روزِ ازل هر آنجه بايِست، بداد.     غم خوردن و كوشيدنِ ما بيهود ست" has a literal translation of "Twas writ at first, whatever was to be, By pen, unheeding bliss or misery, Yea, writ upon the tablet once for all, To grieve or strive is all but vanity." In a more simplified English, it means: "On the eternal day, we as human beings have been given all the things we need to live on the earth. Thus, we should not envy things we don’t have since those things are ingrained in our existence. We only need to find them."

This design was suggested by Helen Righton, an appreciator of Persian literature.

Arabic and Persian writing are usually viewed with suspicion and fear as many people associate them unjustifiably with terrorism. Thus, through showing the beauty of Arabic and Persian writing and Arabic and Persian calligraphy via printing them on hippie T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, canvas, tote cotton bags, and mouse pads; we hope to change the perception of Arabic and Persian writing towards admiration and appreciation.

Don't Spoil the Soil! is inspired by the saddening degradation of the soil cover worldwide.

Soil all around the world, is having its quality compromised through loss of valuable chemicals and organic materials, change is physical structure, drought, and erosion. This leads to the soil being less fertile, as the upper layer of soil is disappearing. Needless to say, the ecosystem suffers greatly, and thus humans suffer as a consequence, but also as a causing factor.

The Arabic calligraphy writing "لا تفسدوا التربة" was the literal translation of the phrase "Don't Spoil the Soil!". This call to "inaction" for people to stop the harmful practices that damage the soil including unregulated farming, mining, and unplanned developments. The use of small, growing plant, symbolises the life force captured and provide to Earth by the soil.

Arabic writing is usually viewed with suspicion and fear as many people associate it unjustifiably with terrorism. Thus, through showing the beauty of Arabic writing and Arabic calligraphy via printing it on hippie T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, canvas, tote cotton bags, and mouse pads; we hope to change the perception of Arabic writing towards admiration and appreciation.

The Palestine design was inspired by the never-ending perseverance of the Palestinian identity in the many faces of injustices throughout history.

Palestine is a beautiful nation with a lot of history and ever-lasting cultural influence on the Levant region. Palestine has many landmarks including Al-Aqsa Mosque, Abraham (Al-Ibrahimi) Mosque, Old City, Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, Church of the Nativity, Great Mosque of Gaza, Mosque of Prophet Yunus, Great Mosque of Nablus, Mar Saba Monastery, Tomb of the Prophet Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, Hisham's Palace, Underground Passages and Necropolis Under City of David, Tell Umm El'Amr, Herodium (Herod's Palace), Dome of the Chain, Milk Grotto, Mount of Temptation Monastery, The Church of St. Catherine, Sanctuary Bethlehem, Dar Zahran Heritage Building, Cave of St. Jerome, Hisham's Palace, Aida Camp, Tomb of Rachel (Kever Rachel), Star Street, Carmel of the Holy Child Jesus, Cave of the Patriarchs, The Monastery of Saint Gerassimos, Gush Etzion Heritage Centre, Jacob's Well, Zaccheus' Tree, Tel es-Sultan, Nabi Musa, The Good Samaritan Museum, Ein Prat Nature Reserve (Wadi Qelt), Mosque of Omar, Masjid-el-Khalil Mosque, Shepherd's Sanctuary, Genesis Land, Ancient Shiloh (Tel Shiloh), Cremisan Monastery, Mansour House, Campo dei Pastori, Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue, Susya - National Heritage Site, Great Mosque of Gaza, Mosque of Prophet Yunus, Great Mosque of Nablus, Al Khader Church, Churuch of St. Lazarus, Yasser Arafat Square, Balm of Gilead Farm - Biblical Agricultural Revived, Tower of David, Western Wall Tunnel, City of David, Timna Park, Walls of Jerusalem, Caesarea National Park, Qumran National Park, Ben-Gurion House, Al-Jazzar Mosque, Carda, Bethesda, Nimrod Fortress National Park, Christ Church Jerusalem, Palmach Museum, Monument of the Negev Brigade, Solomon's Pools, Bible Lands Museum, Antonia Fortress, Khirbet Kerak, Museum of Underground Prisoners, Tell Balata, The Biyar Aqueduct, St. Mary Church for Greek Orthodox, Annunciation Latin Parish, Saint Nicholas Church, Mount Eival, Beitillu Nature Reserve, Aor Hbib Synagogue, Nablus Old City, Syriac Orthodox Monastery of Saint Mark, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Mary's Tomb, Church of Saint Porphyrius, and Chapel of Saint Helena.

Influential cities of Palestine include: Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Bethlehem, Gaza, Ramallah, Al-Khalil (Hebron), Nablus, Tulkarm, Jenin, Al-Naseryyah (Nazareth), Tiberias, Akka (Acre), Haifa, Al-Khadayrah (Hadera), Netanya, Yafa, Ashdod, Rafah, Khan Yunis, BeerSheba (Be'er Sheva), Qalqilya, Bet Shemesh, Ramla, and Lod.

The Arabic calligraphy writing "فلسطين" is the Arabic Translation of "Palestine". The map used is the complete map of Palestine including the Golan Heights. The stamp is designed by Levant 2 Australia owner and symbolises the Palestinian diaspora. The background of the stamp is a Palestinian Koufiyah (type of scarf) that in itself has a lot of symbolism. The intersecting central lines represent the fishnets Palestinian people use to fish. The wavy surrounding lines, represent the agricultural practices of the people. The fist represent the struggle for justice that Palestinians have been undergoing for centauries. 

Arabic writing is usually viewed with suspicion and fear as many people associate it unjustifiably with terrorism. Thus, through showing the beauty of Arabic writing and Arabic calligraphy via printing it on hippie T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, canvas, tote cotton bags, and mouse pads; we hope to change the perception of Arabic writing towards admiration and appreciation.