Behind the Name

“I was born in Addis Ababa, the vibrant and sprawling capital of Ethiopia. In contrast to the fast paced crowds of the city, my family’s home was in a beautiful and quaint neighborhood called Bole (pronounced boh-lay).

The area’s main thoroughfare is Bole Road. It’s lined with shops, fruit stalls and cafes with taxis and cars whizzing by to and from the city’s main airport.

I took two of the most important trips of my life on Bole Road. The first came when I was only three years old, when my family and I immigrated to North America. The second came eighteen years later when I made my first trip back.

That journey back was a pivotal one. I knew I wanted to be more connected to Ethiopia. I wanted to be more involved in the lives of its people and to contribute to its development. I also wanted to harness the overwhelming beauty and power of my first homecoming. As the years passed, I decided the best way to do that was by sharing the traditions and culture of my heritage with others.

I chose the name Bolé Road Textiles as an ode to those journeys and my love of home, a place that always embraces and inspires me.”

- Hana