Finally online… new treasures!

It’s no secret that designing and producing new items is more challenging when far, far, away from the talented artisans we work with. I’ve been outside of Guatemala for the better part of a whole year now, and this is one of the things I miss most about being in Guatemala: the ability to try new things with artisans, this sort of “trial and error” process that every new product needs. I can still sketch anywhere I am, and of course I’ve gotten new ideas for products as a student in Europe – new product needs, new patterns, new colors, new aesthetics, new weather needs, too ❄️. But the conversations with artisans, and physically feeling textures and seeing colors… these are things very challenging to accomplish while so far away.

All this to say that I’m extra pleased to announce the addition of these items, finally online and available for shipping from the US.

I’d like to add a special note here to say that these items would not have been possible to make come true without the existing relationships with the talented artisan groups we partner with in Guatemala. I think over the years we’ve gotten to know each other’s strengths, and have been able to figure out what kind of beauties we can make together. It must be extremely challenging for them to also communicate with me via email and messages, they’ve done a wonderful job and I am so grateful.

It felt great to be back and lead the first Textile Travels in August. I’m thinking about doing another trip in the summer of 2019, let me know if you’re interested in hearing more. Photos below were taken in Chichicastenango by Leander Khil.

XOXO,

Mari

mari@kakawdesigns.com

Summer Cardigan in Indigo + Mini Backpack

Rebozo de la Montaña + Mini Backpack

<Find the items in New Arrivals section of our website>

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Are you in Guatemala? Join our textile fun, even just one workshop.

We are opening our creative textile workshops during Textile Travels  to those already in Guatemala! Come learn more about the textile traditions of the beautiful Maya country, and practice some of the techniques yourself. Get creative, have fun, exchange ideas to benefit artisans and participants alike.

These workshops also include home-cooked meals and local visits to experience authentic village life. Cultural exchange through shared passions in textiles.

Interested? Let me know! Email mari@kakawdesigns.com

 

Collab Art Totes

We are loving these Art Totes, designed by Kelly from Cardamom Collective ❤️ We worked on the textile colors and the general bag concept together, and the end result is so beautiful! These totes have been such a hit that we have now produced the design in a variety of naturally-dyed tones for Kelly. Take a look!

We always enjoy collaborations, but with Kelly it’s especially fun because we dream up new color schemes together. And these gorgeous hues are used as part of our original products as Kakaw Designs as well.  Like our Duffel:

(Side note: do you notice a certain familiarity here with the beautiful model? She’s Kelly’s cousin Lily of course! 😆)

Coming up next: rich hot pink tones – can you believe these colors come from natural dyes?

 

Do you have artisanmade design dreams? Let me know, we’d love to help you. Our artisan partners are talented natural dyers, weavers, embroiderers, leather workers, and even a silversmith. Together, we’ve been able to create a wide range of unique high-quality products. Email me at mari@kakawdesigns.com to get the conversation started.

 

XOXO,

Mari

New product: Handwoven Huipil

We’re pretty excited to be releasing a few new products soon – coming up in Spring!  🌷 Here’s a little sneak preview of one of the treasures: a Handwoven Picbil Huipil, featuring naturally-dyed cotton thread from our partner weavers at Lake Atitlán, and handwoven with the traditional picbil technique on a backstrap loom by partner weavers near Cobán.  These are both regional, specialized crafts, so we’re pretty excited to be combining the two into one beautiful blouse ❤️

Take a look:

More coming soon – including a new capsule jewelry collection to complement spring collection products.  I’m so excited to be releasing upbeat colors – I don’t know about you, but winter has been especially long for me (away from the Land of the Eternal Spring…), and I am SO ready for flower fields, picnics, sunshine, biking around, and wearing colors that make me happy… 🌷🌷🌷

Interested in a custom color?  These huipil blouses take “slow-made” to the next level with so much work going into each beauty.  This also means that it’s possible to take special orders for small quantities.  So if you’re interested in a special color, email me at mari@kakawdesigns.com and let’s chat about it 😉

XOXO,

Mari

 

Photos by Kelly Moe-Rossetto featuring also our Rebozo del Lago and Crossbody in Indigo. 

Textile Travels featured on Birds of a Thread!

Note: This piece was first published on Birds of a Thread on January 5th, 2018.  Big thanks to Jacqui for helping spread the word about the trip.

I’m super excited to share this travel opportunity, hosted by Mari of Kakaw Designs, with you. Read on for the details. -Jacqui

Come together to share, learn, and create

Are you a crafty person who likes to make things and who cherishes handmade traditions?  I am, too!  But I bet our experiences and ideas are different.

That’s the basis of our upcoming Textile Travel for Makers, launching in August 2018.  While working with textile artisan communities in Guatemala through my business Kakaw Designs, I’ve come to realize how interested our partner artisans are in learning about different techniques, patterns, designs, and concepts.  And ultimately, wouldn’t it be ideal if these talented artisans could themselves take a more active role in the design process, without depending on designers from outside of their communities?

This is the part that I love most about working with artisans: getting excited together about new creations, and trying out new ideas.  But I’m just one person, and I only have a small limited number of ideas.  That’s why I’d like to invite other creative Makers out there to join us on this new journey of idea exchange in Guatemala.

We’re so excited to share our crafts together – our partner artisans are experts in natural dyes, backstrap weaving, embroidery, making ikat designs, and more.  But it’s no surprise that it can be challenging to think outside of the box in the rural context, especially for tactile and visual traditions like in textiles.  So, we thought – why not come together and share our ideas in beautiful Guatemala, and have fun while at it?

Our artisan partners are happy to share their traditional craft techniques, and they’re also looking forward to hearing about different experiences and ideas, especially with textiles.  We’ll be hosting workshops to facilitate creative idea exchange in a safe space for all of us to come together and take part in a true and real kind of cultural exchange that we can all relate to as Makers.

Dyeing together

Who can participate?

Anyone crafty and creative is encouraged to come. Obviously weavers, embroiderers, and seamstresses have a lot to directly contribute to rural artisans, but also I think it’s really interesting to hear from people with experience in other techniques that are not prevalent in Guatemala, such as quilting, knitting, block printing, shibori, sashiko, or leaf printing.  Skills such as color theory, presentation of products, and simple photography could also all be very helpful, so please feel free to reach out, whether you’re an active “maker” or not. I think we all have something to contribute and can learn from each other.

How much will it cost, can what can you expect?

I’ll be leading the small group through Guatemala, together with my mother, Aiko Kobayashi, who has been a textile tour guide for over two decades.  We’re excited to add this creative twist, further enhancing both the visitors’ and the artisans’ experiences and making sure that local communities benefit in a meaningful way.  We’re currently taking sign-ups for the trip, with two available itineraries starting at only $1800.  For more details, please go to our website and/or email me.

Isn’t it great when an idea is just all-around good, benefiting everyone involved?  That’s how we feel about this new branch of Kakaw Designs.  Supporting our partner artisans even more while at the same time enhancing participants’ travel experiences in an ethical and sustainable way through exchanges based on common interests as Makers of the world.  We’re so excited to get our creative juices flowing, together.

Mari Gray
mari@kakawdesigns.com
kakawdesigns.com

 

New! The Duffel is back in a new color for fall 🍂

The first batch of our Duffel was in Indigo, and the bags went so quickly – now it’s back in these fall hues we’re calling Chocolate.  It’s time we have some colors named after our cacao roots, don’t you think?

We’re so excited to share these fall colors with you 🍂 🍂 🍂  We love our plant-dyed and handwoven Duffel!  See what others are saying by reading customer reviews online.

<<Shop now>>

Photo credit: Leander Khil

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Plant Dye Experiments

It was so great to spend quality time with our partner weavers at Lake Atitlán.  It’s not always that we can afford to have some natural-dye experiment fun…. so this was a nice treat ❤️

I’m still going through the dyeing process pictures, so more on that coming soon.  For now… I’d love to share the results with you!

We dyed three Summer Cardigans, handwoven by weavers near Cobán.

Cardigan 1: Dyed with Pericón and Sacatinta

Cardigan 2: Dyed with Pericón and Sacatinta, taken out of bath before Cardigan #1

Cardigan 3: Dyed with Chilca and Sacatinta

There are only 3 of these in the whole wide world, and they are looking for loving homes!  Email me at mari@kakawdesigns.com if interested.  $150 each, free shipping to US.

XOXO,

Mari

 

Photos by the lovely Kelly from Cardamom Collective.

What is indigo?

Our hands-down #1 favorite naturally-dyed color is indigo.  It’s our best-selling color for a reason… it’s so beautiful!

But do you really know what “indigo” is?

Indigo comes from several plants

Well, indigo is a dye that is derived from plants (there are actually several different ones).  Most commonly, the leaves are used to make the indigo dye, and there are indigo plantations around the world that produce the dyes.  We get our indigo dye from our neighbors in El Salvador, and it comes in powder form as seen in the bowl below.

 

Hummingbird Collection in Indigo

Have you ever seen the indigo dyeing process?  It’s pretty magical because the classic navy blue color sets with exposure to oxygen and light – this means that it takes a moment for the colors to turn blue.  Take a look at this video, at about 7 minutes you can see the transformation of the yarn coming out of the indigo vat:

It’s pure magic!

The cool thing about indigo is also that it can traditionally be found all over the world…. think Japanese kimonos, Indonesian batik, and the beautiful handwoven textiles from Mali.

All indigo.  All over the world.  Loved because of the strong dyes that don’t fade easily.  Indigo is also said to repel insects, snakes, and even fire – so wearing something dyed with indigo can come with some really practical benefits, too.

Intrigued? Take a look at this BBC video highlighting an indigo dyers in Nigeria.

It’s no surprise that we are all attracted to this deep blue color.  I wonder if it might even be ingrained in us in an evolutionary way – the way green nature calms humans, maybe the indigo blue has the same effect.

Special order footloom scarves in Indigo

Hummingbird Wrap in Indigo

Hummingbird Boots in Indigo

Whatever the reason behind our attraction to indigo… there’s just no beating this classic color.  It’s just a great, go-to staple.  Don’t you think?

Make sure to check out our Hummingbird Collection and our Quetzal Wraps in particular.  The intricate ikat designs made by our partner cooperative of weavers are just beautiful.

Hummingbird Collection

Quetzal Wraps – both color options have Indigo

 

XOXO,

 

Mari

 

 

We’re having a sale!

Spring is here, and it’s time to celebrate with some naturally-dyed colors!

We’re also getting ready to release some really awesome new products, and the truth is we need to make space in our inventory.  So enjoy a 20% off for our Hummingbird Collection accessories – both the clutch and the scarf! Prices are reduced directly on the website, so you can check out the products there.  Valid while supplies last.

HUMMINGBIRD CLUTCH

HUMMINGBIRD SCARF

And hey, meet the wonderful weavers who carefully dyed and wove these products:

Cochinilla

I first learned about the natural dye cochinilla when I visited Oaxaca, Mexico, many many years ago.  Since my mom is a textile artist and lover of all things woven and dyed, of course we visited many places working with natural dyes while traveling together.

Cochinilla insects on a cactus plant

Turns out, the beautiful reddish pink color comes from the cochinilla insect  (“cochineal” in English).  Now, you might think this is a bit gross; I think it is fascinating.  These beetles eat the red cactus fruits, and retain the color in their bodies.  The insects are harvested, dried, and crushed to create what is called the cochineal extract.

Here’s a short video focusing more on the use of these beetles for food coloring:

As for textiles, cochinilla is one of the strongest dyes found in nature, only second to indigo.  So it’s only natural that it can be found in many art forms all over the world:

Ground-up cochinilla and the resulting reds from the dye, woven. From the Andes.

Shibori-dyed with cochinilla.

Beautiful cochinilla hues.

 

Believe it or not, these vibrant colors are long-lasting, so you’re sure to enjoy the bright color in our Hummingbird Collection for years to come.

Hummingbird Collection in Cochinilla

 

And hey, if you haven’t yet seen the video about the process of naturally-dying and backstrap weaving, check it out now!

 

 

XOXO,

 

Mari