Happy #TogetherTuesday!

Let’s meet our next SUMMER OF HUIPIL Release!!

Life’s better in color – and our Summer of Huipil colors are providing safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala! Today’s NOON release is a versatile, eco-friendly design that can bring a pop of colorful huipil to pieces you already own!

Like our huipil (“whee-peel”) designs, made from upcycled blouses, our FAJA (“faa-ha”) BAG STRAP is made from upcycled Guatemalan belts called, “Fajas” (plural). Like huipil, fajas also feature one-of-a-kind designs with colors, patterns, and motifs that are unique to the woman who made it.

When a woman creates or receives a new Huipil blouse or Faja belt, Artisans then upcycle the well-loved fabrics she no longer wears into a colorful new design. Upcycling is the art of transforming a material into something new that has greater purpose and value than the original.

We love the fortitude and resilience of our Guatemalan Artisans to transform their rich culture into fashionable works of wearable art they can share with the world.

Below you’ll find the Product + Artisan details for the Faja Bag Strap, available while supplies last:

FAJA BAG STRAP

Artisans in Guatemala handcraft this colorful, eco-friendly, adjustable bag strap from upcycled Fajas – the beautiful traditional hand-embroidered belts worn by women in Guatemala. Trimmed in genuine leather, each bag strap is one of a kind with colors, patterns, and motifs that are unique to the woman who made it. The easy-close metal clasp with antique-brass finish makes this Faja Bag Strap a colorful, fun, and quick addition to any bag! Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala.

Every bag strap has variations as a part of the Artisan-made charm.

Product Details:

Measurements: Adjustable, Approx. 2 1/4″ W x 38 1/4″ – 42 3/4″ L
Materials: Upcycled Fajas, Genuine leather, Brass
Color: Multicolor, Brown, Antique brass
Retail Price: $89.95
SKU BGMF1643

The Impact of Your Purchase

In Guatemala, gender discrimination and a lack of opportunities prevent many women in areas of extreme poverty from receiving an education or earning a living wage. But these women are utilizing their traditional skills to create beautiful products that reflect their culture and empower them to provide for their families at home. As Artisans and business owners, women in rural villages are now able to feed, clothe, and pay for their children to go to school – opening doors to a brighter future for the next generation in Guatemala!

Meet the Artisan: Rosa’s Story of Hope

My name is Rosa, and I am from Chichicastenango, a town in the department (state) of El Quiché. Thank you for carrying our products, because for us, it is a huge help… for my daughters… and my fellow countrywomen of Chichicastenango because they also need money to provide for their children’s schooling. So, I want to thank you all… and Edgar and his wife (Artisan leaders in Guatemala)! Thank you to you all, thank you, thank you!