We’re excited for this year’s two itineraries to continue our creative idea exchange journey in Guatemala. Take a look!
<Download the one-page info sheet>
Please share the info with anyone you think might be interested. I’d really appreciate it 🙂
XOXO,
Mari
<I’m super psyched to announce something brand new for us. I shared a little bit about the difficulties being away from artisans, and the idea for Kakaw Designs has always been to support talented artisans in Guatemala. With that in mind, we’re excited to be adding gorgeous handwoven cushion covers by Kaleido Collection onto our website this Fall. Emmy shares her honest story about the how and why behind her new brand, take a look! -Mari>
Emmy practicing her backstrap weaving skills during Textile Travels – she joined us for a workshop 🙂
I first came to know and live in the beautiful country of Guatemala through working at an NGO focused on coffee communities. Working in a small town primarily made up of small-scale agriculture, I worked alongside coffee producers and got to know the skilled work and art of coffee. Along the way, I met several artisans, some who have generations of craft experience and others who are newfound makers. What started as purchases and custom-made requests for myself turned into a desire to share these beautiful forms with others while supporting talented artisans.
Let’s start at the beginning. It’s hard not to notice the colorful and intricate textiles found throughout Guatemala. Sadly, many people, both visitors and chapines, don’t know the hours of meticulous work and faces behind these woven pieces. I was one of those people that admired woven and embroidered textiles but didn’t truly understand all that went into producing a piece. Not to mention that there are a multitude of different processes and techniques. That’s part of what makes Guatemalan textiles so amazing.
Picking up textiles with Francisca
<I interrupt to give a virtual high-five for anyone who can spot a custom Kakaw textile in this shot 😉 -Mari>
My first visit with the Corazon del Lago weaving cooperative was a trip to San Juan la Laguna at Lake Atitlan with my sister. Like many visitors, we came for an afternoon to check out the little shops that line the main road up from the dock. Little did I know at the time that my first scarf purchase from one of those little shops would grow into something more. A year later, I found out that it’s the same cooperative that Kakaw Designs works with. Through Mari I was introduced to Francisca, the co-op president, and I set up a natural dyes demonstration to get a glimpse of the process behind botanical-based dyes. My inner environmentalist was intrigued by the amazing, vibrant colors that plants can produce.
In talking with Francisca, it’s clear that the co-op has benefited many women in the community but like many businesses in Guatemala, it’s not easy to grow in an economy that is often reliant on the ebbs and flows of tourism. Through my work with community tourism in coffee communities, economic markets tied to tourism and agriculture harvest seasons are stories that aren’t uncommon to hear. Diversification is essential.
Over time I began to learn more and more about the world of Guatemalan textiles and the skilled people that make it happen. It also meant that I was acquiring more woven pieces ranging from huipiles from one of the textile shops in Antigua and learning where they are from to requesting custom sewing orders from Elvia, an expert seamstress who I’ve worked with through the coffee organization. One of my favorite personal pieces I have worked with Elvia on has been pillow covers, of which there have been several iterations with the most recent being the collaboration with the weaving cooperative!
In Elvia’s home sewing studio – Lavender Love is her favorite
Throughout all this, I had never really thought about starting a business. After getting to know several brands that collaborate with artisans like Kakaw Designs, I realized that it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea. So begun the idea of not just buying pieces for myself, but to contribute to other market avenues for artisans, albeit small. I still have a lot to learn, but I figured that the worst failure would be never trying.
The word Kaleido means beautiful form in Greek. I found it fitting, as there are so many beautiful things in Guatemala – the breathtaking landscapes, detailed craftsmanship and especially the gracious and hospitable people.
Artisan relationships are the heart of Kaleido Collection. Valuing artisans’ work and time is unfortunately not the norm for many of the things we consume and buy. Kaleido Collection hopes to be a small part of that change along with many other like-minded organizations and brands that seek to make just and dignified work the only acceptable practice.
I hope you enjoy these pillows as much as I have enjoyed the journey in producing them!
<see more of the beautiful cushion covers online>
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
Today, we have a special blog post written by Elena Laswick. In case you hadn’t heard yet, we’re working together for a Capsule Jewelry Collection, and we are so excited for this collaboration. So we thought we should introduce the lovely lady – so here she is, ready to tell you how she fell in love with textiles and how she came to working with Ixil women of Guatemala in particular.
Hi there!
My name is Elena and I’m teaming up with Mari this spring to bring you some new jewelry designs inspired by the textiles of the Ixil region of Guatemala!
But who am I and why am I posting on Mari’s blog? Well, let me introduce myself.
I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, a mere 100 km (60 miles) from the Mexican border, where I was surrounded by Mexican culture and immersed in Spanish throughout my childhood. In middle school, I even played the violin and sang in a mariachi band! And in high school, I danced folklorico (Mexican folk dance) in a school club.
Elena in high school in her folklórico dress, circa 2007. Photo: John Laswick.
It truly was an upbringing from the borderlands of the U.S. Tucson is also right on the edge of the Navajo Nation, where there are many talented weavers who produce beautiful rugs. My mom’s motto has always been, “Support your local artists,” so a lot of those rugs found their way into my childhood home. It’s no doubt my parents and Tucson are to thank for my affinity for Spanish and textiles.
Elena’s mom’s current living room setup. Note the Navajo rug hanging on the left-hand wall above the couch. Other textiles featured: On the couch; Pillowcase from Santiago Atitlan, “servilleta” throw from Nebaj, Guatemala. Floor rug: Turkish. On the reclining chair: A Kilim pillow, also Turkish. Wall hangings above/within the mantle: Molas from Panama. On the coffee table: Kuba cloth from the DRC. Under the coffee table: Cat from the local animal shelter. Photo: Elena Laswick.
During and after college, I worked for a few different Central American NGOs and found myself critical of their theories of change. When I initially moved to the Ixil region of Guatemala three years ago, it was to work with a local social enterprise. Although I hoped this model of development would be a breath of fresh air, it too seemed plagued by similar problems as those I had encountered in the NGO world. The true novelty ended up being the wealth of textiles Guatemala had to offer. I soon realized that the only things I cared about spending money on were textiles and artisan-made products in general (not surprising given the type of household I grew up in). The irony was, I was thousands of miles from home and yet once again I found myself living amongst indigenous people with deeply rooted weaving traditions.
Elena’s neighbor and friend in Nebaj, Juana, weaving a new huipil (blouse) for personal use. Photo: Elena Laswick
After I quit my job at the social enterprise, I began researching Guatemalan textile-related brands. In the process, I stumbled on Kakaw Designs’ Instagram, where I eventually learned that Mari, the founder, was studying Sustainable Development in Austria. Before reaching out to Mari about meeting in person when I was traveling through Austria last fall, I tried to familiarize myself more with Kakaw Designs. Besides the beautiful plant-dyed and leather products, what most resonated with me was Mari’s life story. It seemed we had both followed similar trajectories from NGOs to artisans and had ended up returning to our roots as a result. My meeting with Mari confirmed that we are both textile lovers whose theory of change revolves around investing in artisans and trusting them to re-invest in their children and their communities.
This capsule jewelry collection grew out of our shared desire to invest specifically in rural artisans, who have less access to an international market base. Working with me as an artisan liaison to ethically source textiles directly from weavers in the Ixil region, Kakaw Designs will soon offer a capsule jewelry collection with designs that incorporate the intricate brocade of San Juan Cotzal! I hope that these pieces make you feel connected to a place, to skilled weavers and artisans, and of course that you’ll love to wear them for their own sake as well.
Take a look at this beautiful website full of narratives about artisan traditions and slow fashion practices around the world. I love this online community feel of people who believe in the value of handmade beauties.
Our upcoming Textile Travels was featured! Take a look at the whole piece here.
I’ve found myself in a little pickle as the founder of Kakaw Designs, a small artisanmade brand based in Guatemala, and now also a master’s student in Sustainable Development in Europe. It seems to me that conscious consumers are more and more focused on the environmental side of fashion, pushing for locally-made products and a general reduction in consumption. While I am a big supporter of these movements and personally believe that More is not always Better, these trends lead me to wonder about the social and economic side effects for the small-scale producers that I’ve worked with for years now in Guatemala.
We are so excited for all the possibilities to come this summer. Time to explore new creative ideas, together with our artisan partners. Want to know more? As always, just email me at: mari@kakawdesigns.com.
XOXO,
Mari
We’re so excited to be branching out (get it, like the cacao tree? 😆) to include a new and exciting way to support our partner artisans further. Read on!
I started Kakaw Designs as a way to financially support talented artisans in Guatemala through custom orders, and help continue the beautiful handmade traditions so dear to my heart. This seemed clear to me: more money for beautiful, valuable work, more likely the arts will survive in this ever-changing world. I still believe this.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that artisans are also hungry for new ideas, and ideas can be hard to come by. For rural artisans living in a country where copying is the norm, it’s not easy to “think outside of the box.” This really hit home for me when I was hosting a few weavers from Cobán at my house in Antigua. They started to flip through books I had on Guatemalan textiles, and they were so genuinely delighted to see other work from their own country! You see, Guatemalan textile designs and techniques can vary greatly depending on the region, and they were thrilled to see colors and patterns uncommon in their area.
This is where it gets a little bit complicated as a brand, because while we encourage our artisans to continue building up on these new design ideas, we still need to somewhat protect ourselves as a business. I find myself in an ethical dilemma that I am uncomfortable with, since the end goal is to support the artisans, and being protective of designs created together does not seem to support that.
<<Read more about these ethical dilemmas I’ve encountered, published on Eco Warrior Princess>>
That’s why I want to encourage more idea exchange. That’s what this Textile Travel for Makers is all about.
We’ll be visiting beautiful parts of Guatemala: towns, villages, families, homes. People I have known for a long time; or rather, people who have known me all my life (through my parents). We love building up on these life-long connections, and we’re ready to add a twist:
We will be hosting workshops to exchange ideas. Of course, there is so much to learn from the traditional artisans: backstrap weaving, dyeing with local plants, making ikat knots, different weaves and embroidery techniques, too. This is all valuable for the participants, and the artisans are so excited to share their crafts. But again, we want our partner artisans to benefit in this idea exchange, too – so we’ll be arranging workshops for the participants to share their creativity with the artisans. Things like different dyeing techniques (think shibori, or wax-resist), or color preferences, new embroidery techniques, or just different products we might use in non-rural settings. These ideas will be for the artisans to use on their own, if they wish. I can’t wait to be sharing different textile traditions from around the world, flipping through books and physical samples… and I hope that you’ll join us.
Let’s have some fun with this. Let’s get our creative juices flowing together, and support rural artisans in a new way – in a bilateral exchange. We want everyone to benefit.
Want to learn more? Send me an email at mari@kakawdesigns.com. We currently have two itineraries, with prices starting at $1800 and possibly even less depending on the final number of participants. I would love to include you in this new adventure.
XOXO,
Mari
It’s getting chilly these days… are you feeling the beautiful autumn breeze, too?
This is one of my favorite seasons, one that I’ve missed in Guatemala since it’s always spring there (really, that’s not a complaint – I love spring, too!). This year, I’m in Austria working on my master’s in Sustainable Development, and I’m so glad I brought along a few scarves. I’m a little worried for winter, I’m sure it will be the coldest in my life yet. I will definitely be carrying around my handwoven + naturally-dyed scarves with me, all the time 🙂
Are you feeling chilly, too? Take 20% off all scarves with code SCARFSEASON until Sunday, October 22nd. Order two and we’ll include a handmade Luggage Tag as a gift 😉
Some of my favorites this season:
Rebozo del Lago, a wide and cozy shawl dyed with plants. Handwoven + intricate ikat designs. (Retail $200)
<<See more of our ethical scarves>>
I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful change of seasons, the trees changing colors, losing leaves, the fresh breeze but still some warm sunshine peeking through, too.
XOXO,
Mari
Kakaw Designs 