Algeria has a thriving handicrafts industry. Part of the charm of the country is the richness of its production. From carpets to ceramics, from leather to lute making, from pottery to glassworking to silverwork, the country have a tremendous variety of skills that produce goods which are sold in may other countries as well as to tourists.

One such thriving industry is carpetmaking. Wool is obtained from local sheep, goats and sometimes dromedaries to make the carpets for which Algeria has become famous.

Sheet copperware is another specialty and was passed down from the Ottomans. Craftsmen produce unique items in Algiers , Constantine , Ghardaia, Tindouf and Tlemcen. Attractive decorative lamps with multicolor glasses can be found all over the country.

Traditional Berber silverware is extremely popular and some fine pieces are made with semi-precious stones and coral. Craftsmen make brooches and pendants and do enameling

One of the popular products on sale is the "rose des sables" sand rose, which is a form of crystalline structure that grows below desert sands and can reach quite huge dimensions.

Not surprisingly, Algerian designers have succeeded in combining the culture traditions with the influence of the environment of the country. These influences have found their way into the fashion industry and have foreshadowed several changes in the choice of color, design and pattern.

Women's costume in particular, successfully combines the modesty required under the Islamic law, with the flamboyance, utility and elegance. There is a strong emphasis on intricate decoration and colors. The use of colorful fabrics for clothing stands out against the predominant surrounding earth tones and the Algerian woman has kept her love for color and brightly colored patterns. Reds, yellows, greens and blues as well as many other color combinations are combined and finely embroidered with gold and silver threads.

The Karakou is a typical traditional dress and incorporates a velvet jacket embroidered in gold and silver worn with the traditional saroual (Arab pants) and comes from Algiers , the capital of Algeria .

The Blousa from Tlemcen, West Algeria is a full-length, straight-cut dress made entirely from lace and sequined chest.

The Djeba Fergani is the traditional dress from Constantine in the eastern side of the country. This dress is always made with velvet and embroidered by gold and silver thread. The sleeves can be made of lace. In the central region of Tizi-ouzou, the dress is mainly made from cotton and is completely embroidered at the neck and bodice as well as at the wrists. However, it is at wedding and other special occasions that these traditional dresses do justice to the affair. Distinctive jewelry is also worn.

As proof of innovation, many designers and dress-makers have succeeded in modernizing the traditional dresses of Algeria and adapting them to modern practical and functional clothes.

The fact that these forms of traditional dresses are still used is a tribute to its comfort and suitability for the climate. It also points to the pride that Algerians take in the tradition of their ancestors and their identity in the modern world.