handmade textiles

Colorful patches in bright colors alternate with black squares in these checkerboard-patterned cushion covers from West Africa's Comfort Lovi. Crafted with 100% cotton, the cushions feature plain black backs with horizontal zippers for inserting and withdrawing cushions.

Since childhood, artisan Emmanuel Atiemoh Yeboah has lived surrounded by Ghana's wonders and cultural richness, learning from its traditions and history. Drawing inspiration from the ancestral civilizations that once lived in this prosperous land, the artisan creates a batik wall art on cotton and cardstock, using oils in a vibrant palette. After bringing a stunning African mask to life, the artisan enhances his work with a ceiba wood frame.

Chirada creates a shoulder bag that is both stylish and convenient. The base is composed of a black and white cotton blend fabric that features a mesmerizing Thai geometric print. The strap is made from genuine leather with an attractive looped motif. The cotton lining has three pockets to keep small items handy, while a zipper closes the bag.

Thai artisan Chirada masterfully combines traditional Hill Tribe motifs with contemporary functionality in this bi-fold leather wallet adorned with a cotton panel centerpiece where intricate embroidery and weaving techniques form a mesmerizing patchwork tapestry. This colorful accessory boasts a convenient magnetic snap closure that opens to reveal a lined interior with four card slots, a secure zippered coin pocket, a dedicated bill compartment and five additional slots for all your essentials.

A tapestry of heritage framed in sleek leather, this dazzling wallet showcases a cotton panel alive with Hill Tribe motifs intricately pieced together through fine embroidery and weaving. Thai artisan Chirada creates a patchwork design that blends vivid tradition with everyday practicality, featuring sturdy brass fixtures and a magnetic snap closure. Inside, two fully lined, zippered compartments open to reveal ten card slots, one zippered pocket for coins, one bill compartment, one multi-purpose slot and a clear ID window, keeping your essentials neatly stored in striking style.

Bold patterns explode across this colorful leather wallet's cotton blend panel, where Hill Tribe patchwork artistry meets modern functionality in spectacular fashion. Artisan Chirada's vibrant embroidered design creates a striking cultural mosaic that transforms this essential accessory into a portable celebration of Thai craftsmanship. The fully lined, dual-sided interior maximizes organization with intelligent compartmentalization. One zippered section houses separate bill and coin compartments while the opposite side features a secure brass snap closure protecting twelve individual card slots and two versatile multi-purpose pockets. Built with robust brass hardware throughout, this thoughtfully engineered wallet seamlessly blends traditional textile techniques with contemporary storage solutions.

Color meets craftsmanship in this vibrant cotton blend wallet, where vivid Hill Tribe patterns are pieced together through intricate weaving and embroidery. Thai artisan Chirada brings both charm and function to the patchwork design, adding sturdy brass details, a playful leather tassel and a detachable woven strap for versatility. A zippered closure reveals a lined interior with one multifunction slot, four card slots and two bill compartments to keep your essentials perfectly in place.

Originated by the Akan peoples of Ghana, colorful kente cloth is the best-known of all African textiles. Kente cloth is woven 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 purple, saffron, brown and aqua.

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.

Thai artisan Alaya Cholprasertsuk creates this one-of-a-kind wall hanging depicting a map of South Asia. The artisan uses small scraps of recycled cotton batik fabric to create the colorful patchwork map, which includes the various seas and even Mt. Everest. The wall hanging is a fascinating accent to any decor.

A Peruvian villager enjoys a sunny day in the Andes while caring for her animals in the hand-embroidered scene on this coin purse. Designed by artisan Balvina Huaytalla, the charming arpillería purse is crafted from a colorful cotton blend with a blue and white gingham cotton lining.