The Making of: Matteo
There's a whole lot of skill & craftsmanship that goes into creating our Matteo Furniture Collection; from designing the initial pattern to int...
Read moreWe work directly with over 800 of Colombia's most talented artisans from 14 different communities across Colombia. Our aim is to develop sustainable economic growth whilst preserving the diverse ancestral craft cultures and techniques for generations to come.
Many of our artisans work from home, allowing them to balance the challenges of work & family life and we are true believers in constant communication and collaboration. Through working directly with our artisans, we are able to develop real, long-lasting relationships built on trust, transparency and mutual respect. Ultimately, the welfare of our artisans is of the utmost importance, whether that means longer lead times to ensure no unnecessary pressure or providing grants and advance payments when natural life difficulties occur. We’re in this together.
Each and every single one of our products is made by hand with the traditional crafting skills being passed down from generation to generation; this allows our communities across Colombia to preserve their ancient crafting techniques. As many of our craftworks are based in remote, rural communities, it is often difficult for their incredible craftwork to reach wider communities and sadly, they face the modern day issue of being undercut by cheaper, mass produced competitors (who often focus on profit over quality). We want to be able to prevent this as much as possible and to increase demand for the beautiful ancient craftwork seen across Colombia. Our aim is to do this through sharing the beauty of Colombia's artisanal craftwork with the rest of the world.
With each and every purchase our customers make, they are helping to sustain a steady income for hundreds of artisan families and preserve the ancestral crafts of rural communities throughout Colombia. What's more, an incredible 66% of our artisans are female; giving independence and authority to an often marginalised group of society. Every year the money sent back to Colombia from customer purchases is helping to keep the spirit of craftsmanship alive and fighting to preserve a more sustainable way of production.
From remote, rural villages and indigenous communities to family run workshops and evolving entrepreneurs, our artisan family is a wonderful blend of talent, creativity and passion for artisanal craftsmanship. Scroll down to learn more about each of our distinct artisan groups.
MEET THE ARTISANS
La Guajia
WAYUU
The Wayuu tribe occupy the harsh desert lands in the north of Colombia and into Venezuela. It is said that the art of weaving was taught to their ancestors by a mythical spider called Waleker. To this day, the art remains a sacred part of their culture and identity. Each Wayuu piece is beautifully handwoven by just one woman and can take 20 to 30 days to complete.
Cordoba
ZENU
The ancient Zenú tribe are spread across the vast northern lands of Córdoba and Sucre. The women weave in ‘caña flecha’, the leaf of a cane that grows around the wetlands of the indigenous reserves. Plants and mud from the land are then used as natural dyes, creating some of the most beautiful colours.
Nariño
SANDONA
In Sandona, weaving is the main form of income for many women. During the week, they will work on the creations, juggling working on a farm or looking after family. Come the weekend, they will travel to a workshop to practice and evolve these designs. This involves converting the native iraca palm into thin or thicker threads, to create the unique pieces you see today.
Atlantico
USIACURI
Tucked away in the hills near Barranquilla, Usiacurí is one of the most peaceful towns in the country. Both men and women have been working with iraca palm for generations and if you peer through the windows daughters, mothers and grandmothers can be seen weaving through the heat of the day. Originally, the palm was sourced from the local grasslands but due to changes in climate it is now bought from Bolivar to be washed, dyed, dried, and cut to size.
Bolivar
MOMPOX
Mompox is a town frozen in time. Located on an island in the midst of the River Magdalena, it was previously completely cut off from the outside world, other than by boat. The goldsmith tradition dates back to the Colonial era, over 350 years ago. Then, the town was an important commercial port through which gold and Spanish crafts passed regularly on merchant ships. The gold and silver is sourced from the Santa Rosa mines in Bolivar, Colombia, and each stunningly intricate piece takes up to 4 days to craft and years of training to master.
El Cauca
EPERAARA SIAPIDAAR
The Eperaara Siapidaara are an indigenous community originally from El Cauca, who relocated to Bogotá in 2008, due to violence. Weaving in paja tetera is a tradition that has been passed down for generations; the baskets were originally used to store food and household items and have now become their main source of income. Traditionally, it is the women who weave and the men who trek up to three hours into the jungle to harvest the materials. Plants are then carried back and left to dry for three days, before the women begin.
Bolivar
SAN JACINTO
In Northern Colombia, the municipality of San Jacinto has made its name as a craft centre. Known as the 'first on the Atlantic Coast', colourful hammocks, handbags and pillows are weaved, amongst other products, on a vertical loom. Girls inherit the craft at the age of 12 and as a result, many follow the path of their artisan mother and grandmother. But weaving is more than an income - it's a way of life for them, a symbol of cultural wealth and tradition. The Colombia Collective has taken the traditional material and re-invigorated it into vibrant tablecloths, tablemats and cushions.
Bogota
PRECOLOMBINO
Pre-Columbian cultures have been hugely important throughout the cultural development of Colombia. Cultures such as the Tayrona and Sinú on the Caribbean coast and the Muiscas in the heart of the country laid the foundations for many of the craft trades that we can appreciate today. Made of pewter, an alloy of various metals, before being dipped in gold, these pieces of jewellery represent the most symbolic figures of these three pre-Columbian cultures such as pectorals, nose rings and the nature that surrounded them.
Boyacá
SATIVANORTE
Handcrafted using natural esparto fibres found in the páramo and the high Andean forest. Farmers in this region are transitioning from traditional agricultural and livestock farming to more sustainable activities within the protected area, in order to safeguard incomes and the environment for future generations. The Artesanías del Páramo de Guina aim to conserve the natural area, through restoration of nature and the planting of new esparto crops allowing for permanent supplies of the natural fibre. The crafting process of esparto involves cooking and air drying the raw material, before dying with natural colours and finally hand weaving into the beautiful products that we see today.
FIQUE
The fique plant measures between two and seven meters; with long, narrow, pointed, green leaves. The fibre has gradually replaced the cotton that was previously used by the Guanes indigenous people. The growers - in charge of extracting, shredding, washing and drying the material - deliver the fique to the artisans, who delicately prepare the fibre ready to be used. From combing, dyeing, spinning to weaving, artisans are so grateful for the use of this fibre that even the residues left by some processes are used to make new pieces, making this an environmentally sustainable trade.
Antioquia
CARMEN DE VIBORAL
Crafted and hand painted in the town of Carmen de Viboral in Antioquia, Colombia. Known as the cradle of artisan ceramics, Carmen de Viboral is home to a bounty of family owned workshops in which intricately crafted ceramics are sculpted, hand painted and double baked to create high quality ceramic pieces. The trade in this area has a denomination of origin declaration certifying that the items are made in this specific region which has been famed for its ceramic making since 1898. These handmade, painted designs are often inspired by the local landscapes and flora which offer an insight into the culture of the Carmen de Viboral region.
Boyacá
DUITAMA
The wool from Boyaca was also originally used to make ruanas, the capes the farmers wear to protect against the bitter mountain air. Now our artisans have combined it with their traditional horizontal weave to make a completely unique and stylish blanket that also proves to be utterly practical.
Bogota
CRISTAL ARTESANAL
The glass blowing technique is based on recycling the remains of glass bottles and jars that are about to be discarded. After a washing process, the glass is crushed and taken to large furnaces to be melted at 2000 °C and once in the oven, the distinctive colour is given. This melted glass is then put into hollow molds with a special cane for blowing, a technique with which the unique shapes and characteristics of these pieces are obtained.
Ayapel
EL CEDRO
Crossing the Cienaga de Ayapel by boat for 15 minutes, you will arrive at El Cedro, a small town, filled with houses decorated with murals painted by the local youths. In the jungle of this area, at the top of the palm trees, grows a traditional plant, better known as seje palm. This palm fibre is used by local artisans to create beautiful structures. The fibre is used to cover the metal base, weaving and tying the fibres with hemp knots. A fairly modern craft, this form of weaving started only around 10 years ago.
“By choosing to support artisans, we - as consumers, investors, business leaders and policy makers - can help to realize this potential and to generate deeper social and economic impact for hardworking entrepreneurs around the world, and especially for women.”
Forbes, 2015
The Making Of: Narino
This week we've been off on our travels visiting the incredible Nariño artisans who make some of our much loved tableware & accessories. After ...
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