What to Buy: Souvenir Shopping in Ethiopia
From silver crosses to woven scarves. A guide to finding authentic, high-quality Ethiopian handicrafts.
Mule Ethiopia Tour — Local Team
Addis Ababa · Licensed Ethiopian Tourism Guides
Mule Ethiopia Tour — Local Team
Addis Ababa · Licensed Ethiopian Tourism Guides
Traditional Textiles
Ethiopia produces beautiful handwoven cotton textiles. The most iconic item is the netela, a large, lightweight scarf with decorative woven borders (tibeb), traditionally worn by women over their dresses. You can also find beautiful heavier blankets (gabi) and brightly colored scarves, especially around the Shiro Meda market in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopian Crosses
The Ethiopian Orthodox cross is unique for its intricate, lattice-like designs, and each historical region (Lalibela, Axum, Gondar) has its own distinct style. You can buy large brass or silver crosses used by priests, or smaller pendants to wear as jewelry. Be prepared to bargain in the tourist markets.
Coffee Paraphernalia
Since you will likely fall in love with the coffee, why not bring the ceremony home? You can purchase a traditional black clay jebena (coffee pot), wooden mortar and pestle, and sets of small, painted cini cups. Don’t forget to buy a few bags of freshly roasted beans from Tomoca to complete the set.
Wood Carvings and Basketry
Look out for hand-carved wooden headrests (used by pastoralist tribes to protect their elaborate hairstyles while sleeping) or traditional wooden stools. In Harar and the south, you will find tightly woven, brightly colored baskets used for storing injera, which make stunning wall decorations.
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