accent rings

Framed by a zigzag border of olive, the beige body of this area rug is decorated with colorful geometric patterns. Sonik Sethi presents this rug, which is woven by hand from wool. Dainty fringes accent the ends of this rug.

With ample room for carrying almost anything you can think of, this stylish foldable tote bag is just the perfect accessory when you’re out shopping or even while traveling. Hand-woven from cotton with a beige shade accented by peach, crimson, indigo and wisteria stripes, the fashionable bag by Guatemala’s Fernando and Ana Cecilia comes fully lined and features an elastic band that helps you keep it folded when not in use.

Fatchurohman of Java creates a journal cover of woven pandanus leaf trimmed in light brown leather. Designed for C6-size pages, the six-ring binder closes with a leather strap that slides through a matching loop stamped with the letter "F," that also forms an archer shooting toward a star. The notebook arrives with 50 pages of lined, handmade paper.

Fatchurohman uses cotton batik fabric for the lining, which will vary in color and motif according to what he finds at the market.

Costa Rican artisan Blanca Padilla designs and handcrafts this lovely trio of angels from fiber extracted from cabuya or fique, a succulent that looks similar to agave. The cabuya fiber is a beautiful creamy antique white, and the artisan works with its natural texture to from the features of this wall sculpture. Gold thread is woven with the cabuya to accent each angel's halo and the hem of her gown, and she carries a lovely bouquet of paper and natural dried flowers in red, yellow, and green. A star shoots over the trio.

The art and skill of creating handicrafts from cabuya or fique has been handed down through Blanca Padilla's family for generations. The artisan sources her material herself, growing and harvesting the cabuya, extracting the fiber, and preparing it for use in the handicrafts. Blanca Padilla hopes to help revitalize the cabuya craft industry with the success of her designs.

Martin Lazarte designs this luxurious monochrome pullover with a beautiful combination of knits in a soft and durable alpaca wool blend. He selects a beautiful ivory tone for this cozy sweater. Wear it with high-waisted denim or a soft slip skirt.

Martin first learned to work knitting machines while working at a textile factory where he participated in the process from start to finish. He moved on to work on his own, combining the technical knowledge he acquired with his own designs. He now works for a local nonprofit that teaches other artisans the same skills he once learned as a young man to help them access better job opportunities.