handmade

Woven by hand, traditional West African kente cloth is dazzling. Madam Adwoa continues with her mother's craft with this extraordinary design. Each strip of kente cloth requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, and white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names. This design is named Obi Nkyere Akwadaa Nyame, meaning "Nobody points a child to God" in the Akan language.

Pack your things and get ready for a day at the beach, a hike in the mountains, or a roam around the market. This drawstring backpack is the perfect companion for all your day-trip needs. Presented by Mexican artisan Ingrid Garcia, the bag features hand-loomed cotton fabric in dark blue and antique white. Adjustable cotton shoulder straps make it easy to carry on any adventure. The bag also feature a vinyl bottom for extra durability.

Thick yarns add rich texture to this fascinating kente cloth shawl by Gobah Tengey-Seddoh. Strips of black, white and Delft blue make a dramatic and handsome color combination. Designed and woven of coarse local cotton in the 12th century, the lokpo pattern means "heavy or thick in texture."

Each strip requires considerable effort, and the looms are worked with both hands and feet. Strips are generally three to four inches wide and seven to ten feet long, and the length of time it takes to complete one strip varies by the complexity of the chosen pattern. The simplest use mostly vertical, or warp patterns, and an experienced weaver can make several of those in one day. However patterns with nearly all weft (horizontal thread) patterns where the warp design is hardly visible can take up to four days to complete an individual strip. Each color has its own meanings in Asante culture. Green is fertility and new harvest, gold is royalty, black is strength, aging and spirituality, while white is purity. The patterns themselves are carefully chosen symbols, which a master weaver develops and names, often to honor people, historical events, or proverbs.

Hand woven ikat is practiced in many countries and cultures around the world with the most bold and colorful coming from the Fergana Valley region in eastern Uzbekistan. Combining this artful heritage and modern styling, Uzbek designer Abduvali creates his wearable masterpieces. The narrow woven cotton ikat panels are meticulously stitched together to create one continuous pattern from side to side. This attention todetail is evident in each piece from the talented artisan in his Tashkent studio.

The oversized jacket is based on the traditional ‘Chapan’ worn during the cold winter months. This mid-weight version features an oversized fit, extra-long sleeves to be rolled to the desired length and a self tie belt to further adjust the fit. Layering beautifully over your favorite sweater or dress, the jacket is cotton lined and includes side seam pockets.

Woven by hand in Pacific blue, this colorful cotton hammock invites a siesta. Maya Artists of the Yucatán create it in the same way they have for centuries, finishing the ends with strong loops for hanging.

Please note: The accompanying extension ropes may vary in color from those shown in the images.

Please note: For best results, store indoors when not in use. Colors may bleed when wet.

Because each one is individually handmade, size can vary slightly.

Originated by the Akan peoples of Ghana, colorful kente cloth is the best-known of all African textiles. Kente is woven by hand in strips, which is how it came by its name (kente means "basket" in the Ashanti dialect). Ghana's Rachel Armah creates this colorful cotton blend scarf in cheerful shades of blue, pink and cream. The scarf's width allows it to double as a shawl.

In kente cloth, each color has a symbolic meaning: black symbolizes maturation and intensified spiritual energy; blue signifies peacefulness, harmony and love; green symbolizes vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, and spiritual renewal; gold represents royalty, wealth, high status, glory, and spiritual purity; grey is for healing and cleansing rituals; maroon signifies the color of mother earth, associated with healing; pink and purple are associated with the female essence and female aspects of life; red symbolizes political and spiritual moods, bloodshed, sacrificial rites and death; silver is associated with the moon and represents serenity, purity, and joy; white is for purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions; and yellow represents preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility, and beauty.

Knitted from cotton and recycled denim in a stylish combination of indigo and olive hues, this chic poncho showcases an asymmetrical design with a graceful fold-over collar that is sure to show your dapper side. Designed by Guatemala’s Luisa Villavicencio, this must-have accessory is ideal for complementing your favorite outfits with style.

Soft cotton yarns and recycled denim textiles create a marvelous design from Guatemala. Luisa Villavicencio works with traditional techniques to create this handle bag accented with a sweet striped pattern of azure and alabaster hues. In addition, a magnetic snap closure secures the lined interior, while two open pockets on the sides allow for handy use.

It is time to add a modern and graceful touch to your days with this exquisite shopping bag. Guatemalan artisan Luisa Villavicencio works with cotton and recycled denim to create this convenient accessory, whose natural hue is beautifully accented with the recycled textile's blue hue. Charming tassels crown the design, which is also equipped with a magnetic snap closure.

Natural indigo dyes and a handmade batik print distinguish this short-sleeved men's shirt from Rudi Wijoyo. Styled like a classic camp shirt, it features a notched collar, patch pocket, and button placket. The shirt is crafted from a blend of linen and cotton to keep you cool and comfortable.

Working with all-cotton yarns in red, white, and dark blue, Mirna Hernandez in Nicaragua crafts this cheerful single hammock. The rope-style hammock features a striped bed with macrame accents on both sides, as well as jaunty tassels with wood beads at all 4 corners. The handmade hammock arrives in a cotton storage bag.

Everything you see in this spectacular table runner is meticulously crafted by hand: from the fabulous geometric patterns woven from cotton on a traditional pedal loom to the original knotted fringes that adorn both ends. This splendid decorative accent is handmade in Guatemala by the Women United for Artisan Development group in shades of royal blue, ivory and grey with traditional Mayan motifs as the inspiration behind it.