Since 2014, west elm has worked with artisan groups in Guatemala to produce beaded objects like coasters, pouches, and most recently stunning patterned pillow covers. Inspired by huipiles, the colorful traditional blouses of Guatemala, these pillows are handmade using mostacilla, a traditional Guatemalan beadwork technique. Handcrafted from over 35,000 glass beads over the course of 40 hours, artisan-run collectives in the Guatemalan highlands weave these seed beads into intricate patterns using a comb loom. You read that right—a loom made from a comb!
Beading in Guatemala creates sustainable employment for women in rural areas, which allows them to invest in themselves and their families. The artisan businesses that we work with collaborate with the Ministry of the Economy in Guatemala to create economic opportunity, promote female empowerment, and tackle childhood malnutrition in artisan communities.
When purchasing these amazing hand–made creations you can feel proud because along with West Elm you are contributing in creating a social, economic and environmental change in countries that need it the most.
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When you purchase a basket from West Elm, have you ever thought: "How is it made?"
When you bring its beauty in your home, you are supporting the hard work of our artisans, not only support their families, through their beautiful hand made creations, but also contribute in the continuation of their cultural traditions. Every basket is handwoven in the Philippines.
Ratan is a renewable natural resource, grown and harvested in the Mindanao Islands in the Southern Philippines.
The rattan is transported by boat to the island of Bohol, where Jerome oversees orders and distributes raw material to individual weavers all over the island of Bohol.
The weavers, most of them women, are able to work from home while caring for their children, they gather in groups in their villages to weave. More than 4000 home-based artisans are employed weaving these baskets. Consistent work allows them to send their children to school, buy food and build better homes.
Basketweaving requires a high degree of skill, and it’s a tradition that’s been passed down from old to young in Filipino families for more than a century. It can take up to a day to make one basket, and one weaver crafts the entire basket.
An ice-pick-like tool called a tulisok is used by weavers to pierce the rattan core so they can insert and secure the buri split that binds the rattan canes together.
Each week, the baskets are collected from the weavers by motorbike or mini jeep.
Baskets are checked for size and quality.
The baskets are shipped to the finishing factory on the island of Cebu by boat.
At the finishing factory, a blow torch is used to burn off any frayed edges. Any colored finishes are added there as well, and the quality is checked again, one of seven total quality checks.
Maribelle Cruz founded the company in 1990, and runs it with her son, John Karlo.
The final destination: your home, where you add your story to our Modern Weave Storage Baskets.
