Story Behind VIRSA

Virsa was created by two Pashtoon mums, Tayyaba and Sana with a simple wish: to bring a little piece of home to the UK.

Best friends since childhood, we’ve truly been through it all together. From roaming the streets of Peshawar in rickshaws, clad in our chaddars and searching for the best street food to sharing dingy apartments in Islamabad whilst working as committed development sector professionals. And now, we’re both mums trying to keep up with the most demanding role of our lives.

We’ve come a long way.

Over the years and especially in this age of AI, instant everything and increasingly fast paced lives, we found ourselves missing something. The little imperfections. The stories. The time and care behind the things we bring into our homes. The feeling that an object has a soul because someone, somewhere, took the time to make it by hand.

Virsa means heritage - and that is at the heart of everything we do. We want to bring the warmth, beauty and character of Pakistan’s handmade traditions into homes across the UK, while celebrating and supporting the talented artisans who keep these art forms alive.

Behind every rug, piece of pottery, textile or handcrafted treasure is a pair of hands, a skill passed down through generations and a story worth knowing.

We hope Virsa can be a bridge between our home country and the place we now call home - a way of bringing a little warmth, colour and nostalgia with us.