From Our Nicaragua Artisan Partners

Keeping in touch with our artisans and the unique challenges they face during this global health crisis is important to us. Our artisans in Nicaragua are a close group of family and friends. Here is a small glimpse into the challenges, as well as positive changes and growth, that have come from this difficult time for our partner artisan cooperative in León, Nicaragua:

Liliam and Huber, how has your creative process changed due to the pandemic? 

Our creative process has not changed but our work has slowed and, at times, paused all together. When the pandemic first began, the sadness and fear we saw around us limited our ability to create new designs. But, with time, we have persevered, and now even beginning to create new designs and color combinations for our blankets. Our greatest inspiration comes from the nature surrounding us - the mountains, flowers, birds, the sea and volcanoes - as well as from the joy and love that each artisan possesses. During this time, like always, our motivation comes from nature, our own creativity and of course our on-going economic needs. 

What are the greatest challenges you and your community have faced in response to COVID-19? 

The most grave challenge has been the economic one. Our sales have plummeted. We must continue to work even harder to recover, even though we don’t know what life will be like when this is over. Hopefully things will be even better. 

Have you been able to find any positives in this situation? How so? 

We have been scared to leave our homes to work, but the need and our courage helped us to overcome the fear. Despite the fact that we can’t hug and kiss those who visit us, the beautiful thing is that we have created a design called “besos y abrazos” (hugs and kisses). In this way,  we are always giving hugs and kisses through our creations. 

Out of the darkest moments there is always positive. This time has given us the opportunity to understand who all really are, as human beings. As a collective of artisans we are more united than ever. That’s why we will continue to fight and move forward, whatever it costs. 

Artisans in Nicaragua work in their home workshop in the town of León

Founder Amanda designs with artisans in Nicaragua

Artisan Huber prepares cotton for the foot loom in Nicaragua

Artisan Daniela in Nicaragua hand finishing a blanket

Custom Design Your Own Handcrafted Textiles

As the holidays come rushing towards us, it’s clear that this year’s festivities will be unlike those that we’re used to. We will have to be innovative and creative about the ways we are “there for each other.” That’s why we’re especially excited to be working with our partner artisans in Nicaragua and Guatemala to create custom designs, made just for you! This way you can bring a personal touch to a gift for someone you may not even get to see in person. 

Design your own, or give someone you love the gift of creating a custom blanket, throw, or an entire tabletop set, and we will design directly with them and our artisan partners. Email amanda@livingthreadsco.com for more information or submit a request through the link below and we will reach out to you!

Artisan Amalia and founder Amanda designing in Guatemala

Amalia and Amanda designing in Guatemala

Founder Amanda designing with artisan Amalia in Guatemala

Living Threads Co artisan working on a traditional mayan backstrap loom in San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala

Artisan Cecila in Guatemala

COVID-19 Impacts on Artisans in Guatemala | An Interview with Amalia

Amalia, Guatemala

Amalia, how has your creative process changed due to the pandemic? 

“My greatest inspiration comes from the women I work with - learning their habits, and being a part of their lives. I’m constantly inspired by their techniques as we all do this ancestral work together. It’s been extremely difficult not being able to spend time with them and share our techniques with each other.”

What are the greatest challenges you and your community have faced in response to COVID-19? 

“The children in San Juan are facing hunger and poverty due to the lack of tourism and consumers buying artisan goods. I have been in the field, working and trying my best to create positive change and economic revitalization for women in the Tinte Maya co-op. In some families women live with husbands and fathers who are irresponsible and struggle with alcoholism. Some of these women were just starting to become independent from these toxic relationships; however, due to the pandemic, they are confined to their homes, dependent on these men once again, and putting themselves at risk of a great deal of verbal and physical abuse.”

Have you been able to find any positives in this situation? How so? 

“I’ve learned through this time that life is short and it’s so important to appreciate it, enjoy nature and take care of one another like we are all family. This virus does not discriminate who it affects - we are all vulnerable - but the love of God and nature is more powerful. We will continue to work from home but we need customers to buy our products; by doing so, they will directly impact the lives of families suffering through this pandemic.” 

Artisan Amalia works with founder Amanda on new design in Guatemala.

Artisan Amalia and Amanda walk through town on a design trip in Guatemala

Amanda and Amalia, San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala

Shop our MUSE clutch - naturally dyed and handwoven on a backstrap loom.

Working With The Women Behind The Weaving: Our Week in Guatemala

Written by Brooke Olefson

Just before the sun rose on Saturday March 9th, we began our journey to visit our artisans partners across Guatemala. After waiting out some flight delays, making our way through customs, and sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic from Guatemala City, our crew of 3 Living Threads Co. team members and 4 GW graduate students had finally arrived in Antigua. Once we bathed off the grime of travel, we all convened in town at a traditional Guatemalan restaurant for a hearty dinner and to discuss our goals for the next week. After having sorted out some scheduling issues, we called it a night and headed back to our hotels to prepare for our departure the following morning.

San Juan from afar.

Amanda Zehner (Founder & CEO), Amalia (President of Tinte Maya Artisan Cooperative in San Juan), Isa (Translator), and Stacy (GW International Development Graduate Student) discussing the week’s schedule.

Amalia (President of our partner artisan cooperative in San Juan, Guatemala) walking with Amanda Zehner (Founder & CEO) to pick up products from one of our partner artisans.

On Monday morning, we met with the GW graduate students to go over what questions they would be asking our artisans and suggested question phrasing variations that might be better understood by our artisans. We then sent them on their way to artisans’ homes for their first interviews and headed to meet with Amalia again. It is moments like these that remind us just how impactful and important it is to spend time working side-by-side with our artisans. It can be challenging to communicate across borders, let alone in another language. These face-to-face conversations not only strengthen our relationships with our artisans overseas but also help us to clarify confusion or misunderstandings in product designs. After working together through the complete clutch construction process, we headed home for dinner and called it a night.

Amanda Zehner (Founder & CEO) and Amalia (President of our parter cooperative) going over translator schedules for interviews.

Amanda Zehner (Founder & CEO) getting ready to board the shuttle boat from San Pedro to Santiago.

Amanda Zehner (Founder & CEO) sitting down with the Mother Artisan Group at La Puerta Abierta Learning Center.

Having not seen Ana or Amanda since our event in DC in late January, our lunch together was quite the reunion! After catching up a bit, Amanda told us about her plans to expand La Puerta Abierta to a new piece of land she’d just purchased down the street from their current location. Since La Puerta Abierta has always functioned off of land that had been lent to them, this news meant that the community hub would finally have a permanent home, bringing more security to the abundance of children who currently seek education from the learning center in addition to the mothers group that convenes there to create some of our products.

Three of our U.S.-based members, Amanda Zehner (CEO & Founder), Lyn (seamstress extraordinaire), and Brooke Olefson (Living Threads Co. Intern) were joined by a group of four International Development Graduate students from The George Washington University on this journey abroad.

On Sunday, post-breakfast and coffee in Antigua, we hopped on a bus for a four hour drive to San Juan, where one of our partner artisan cooperatives is located. Once we arrived in San Juan, we quickly settled into our Airbnb, made our way through the narrow cobblestone roads with the GW grad students, and sat down with Amalia, the President of Tinte Maya Artisan Cooperative, to go over what we had planned for the upcoming week.

After the GW graduate students had firmed up their scheduled interviews with our partner artisans, we brainstormed new product ideas with Amalia and contemplated how we might go about bringing them to life. We explored some of their artisan members’ new work, found items we were inspired by, and talked about how we could incorporate them into our products.

Quality control, communication of designs, and scaling production were all topics of discussion. With Amalia’s help, we developed new formats for product-making instructions and learned a bit more about the weaving process which, in turn, allowed us to understand how to better specify details for our artisans. After a few hours at Tinte Maya, we headed out for dinner at the only open restaurant in town, regardless of the city-wide power outage. Together, we decompressed from the busy day over salsa and cerveza before heading back to our Airbnb to get some rest.

Tinte Maya Artisan, Alejandra, and her daughter.

The following morning was spent taking photographs of our artisans for a new packaging idea we’ve been working on. Not an every day occasion in San Juan, many of the women took this opportunity to get dressed up for formal photos, reminding us of the simple opportunities, like having a nice photo of ourself, we so often take for granted. We snapped each smile and every smirk, thanked our artisans for their time and hard work and walked back down the hill, between the colorful graffiti-coated walls, to our cooperative’s workshop. Here we met the GW graduate students after their interviews to check in on the interview process, questions and experience thus far.

Students playing in the garden at La Puerta Abierta Learning Center.

Early Wednesday morning, we hopped in a tuk-tuk and skid through the winding roads around Lake Atitlan from San Juan to San Pedro. We sat down at a local cafe for a quick cup of coffee and a bite to eat before boarding a shuttle boat to Santiago. About an hour later, we were in Santiago, walking through the bustling streets, exploring the brightly colored markets, and checking out the incredible architecture that happily lent itself to the majestic mountains and volcanoes surrounding the little town. Once we got a better handle on our whereabouts, we found our way to lunch with Amanda Flayer (Founder of La Puerta Abierta Atitlan Learning Center), Ana Mesia (Mother Artisan and Teacher at La Puerta Abierta Atitlan), and Ana’s two children.

Local preparing to board the shuttle boat at Lake Atitlan in Santiago.

Amanda Zehner (Founder & CEO) discussing product development with Amalia and Alejandra at Tinte Maya.

A group of women walking in Santiago, Guatemala.

After lunch, we headed up the hill with Amanda and Ana to La Puerta Abierta, where we payed a visit to the mother artisan group we work with and discussed new products we’d like them to work on. The group had prepared some beautiful embroidered designs based off our sketches. After discussing slight alterations we’d like to make, we sat down with the women to learn a bit more about each of their lives. We went in a circle and talked about what products each of the women worked on, what drew them to La Puerta Abierta and, in turn, Living Threads Co. It was both empowering and humbling to have a conversation with this group of women who, through their work at La Puerta Abierta, are giving their children access to education and bettering their own livelihoods while also maintaining traditional artisan crafts like backstrap loom weaving and embroidery.

Post-meeting at La Puerta Abierta, we headed to the shuttle boats to hitch a ride back to San Juan. Once we arrived, we went to our Aribnb to prepare for our travels the following day.

On the morning of Thursday March 14th, we toted our packed bags back up the winding cobblestone roads. We met with Amalia one last time to go over last minute thoughts and product changes prior to boarding another small boat to Panajachel, where we would be briefly meeting with a seamstress group to discuss our new clutches. After our stop in Panajachel, we hailed a bus back to Antigua for the last night of our journey.

We arrived in Antigua late in the afternoon, checked into our hotel on the border of the main square, and walked around the city for the last time before our departure. Over dinner, we reflected on what we had gotten out of this trip, the tasks we had accomplished, and what we needed to get done upon our return to the U.S. After consuming our final homemade tortillas with dollops of fresh guacamole laid atop, we bid Guatemala, along with all of its incredible people and culture, adios… until next time.

The streets of San Juan, Guatemala.

It is trips like these, where we have the ability to meet with our artisans and expand our relationships beyond a phone line or an email thread, that remind us of the meaning behind the work we do here at Living Threads Co. At times, this business can feel stressful and overwhelming, but the impact we have, an impact that transcends borders and language, an impact that transcends place and time, makes the effort worth it. So, thank you— thank you to all of our loyal customers who show us their endless support and love for this company. Just as Living Threads Co. would not be possible without our talented artisans, it would not be possible without you either.

Authored by Brooke Olefson

Photographs by Brooke Olefson

An Inside Look at Living Threads Co.: Conversation, Culture and Creativity

January was full of excitement for the Living Threads Co. team and our partners!  Our partner artisan from Guatemala, Ana Mesia, and founder of La Puerta Abierta, Amanda Flayer, joined us for a series of events in partnership with both The National Museum for Women in the Arts and Sustainable GW at The George Washington University.

Amanda Flayer (Founder of La Puerta Abierta in Atitlán, Guatemala), Ana Mesia (Artisan and teacher at La Puerta Abierta in Atitlán, Guatemala), and Amanda Zehner (Founder and CEO of Living Threads Co.) exploring DC after their arrival.

During their visit, Ana and Amanda had the opportunity to visit a few museums in DC and learn about various crafting methods. Ana said her favorite most impactful part of this journey was her time at The National Museum of Women in the Arts because of the interest, questions and genuine interest in her culture and her art. Ana also lover our visit to GWU’s Textile Museum, where she was able to get a better understanding of the ways in which other cultures create products like hers.

On Tuesday, January 29th, we headed over to The National Museum of Women in the Arts for our event, Conversation, Culture and Creativity. While there, we had the opportunity to meet some of our local LTCo. customers and museum go-ers! Ana kicked off the event with a demonstration of the backstrap loom, a traditional Mayan craft used by women to create textiles like those we produce at Living Threads Co.

After the demonstration, guests had the opportunity to take part in an embroidery lesson, led by Ana. Ana had brought some swatches of her fabrics along with needles, thread, embroidery hoops, and some hand-drawn designs she’d created for stencils.

The embroidery lesson begins!

After we all got our embroidery on, Ana talked a bit about the history of her craft. She told us about how her mom taught her how to use the traditional Mayan backstrap loom, however she prefers embroidering textiles because it allows her to express more through her personal creativity. Once everyone finished up their embroidery designs, we closed out the event with a brief conversation about how Living Threads Co. has impacted our artisans abroad, including Ana.

Amanda Flayer, Ana Mesia, and Amanda Zehner at The National Museum of Women in the Arts.

On Wednesday, January 30th, we headed over to The George Washington University’s campus for our event in partnership with Sustainable GW, Conversation, Culture, and Creativity: A Panel Discussion, featuring Ana Mesia, Amanda Flayer, and Amanda Zehner. Before the event, Ana, Amanda and Amanda had the opportunity to explore GW’s Textile Museum, where they learned about how other artisans in various countries create textiles similar to Living Threads Co’s.

After their museum visit, Ana, Amanda and Amanda walked over to GW’s Funger Hall for Conversation, Culture and Creativity: A Panel Discussion. They had the opportunity to answer a series of questions about the artisan economy, sustainable production, and the importance of preserving traditional crafts. The auditorium was filled with students and locals interested in sustainability, giving us hope for a more sustainable future! Ana was impressed by the questions of students and professors and their thoughtfulness and concern for the impact their actions have around the world.

Max Gelber, our volunteer Student Translator, Ana Mesia, Amanda Zehner, and Amanda Flayer at the close of Conversation, Culture, and Creativity: A Panel Discussion, co-hosted by Sustainable GW.

We want to thank The National Museum of Women in the Arts, The George Washington University, Sustainable GW, La Puerta Abierta,The Aspen Institute, Senator Warner and Amb. Melanne Verveer for helping us bring these events to life! We had such an amazing time sharing with our community exactly what it is we we do at Living Threads Co. and the exciting direction we are moving in. Thank you again to everyone who came out to participate in our event series. Ana loved having the opportunity to meet you all and participate in our Global Artisan Exchange Program. We can’t wait to bring more artisans to the U.S. in the future. Keep checking in for future event announcements and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to make sure you stay in the loop!

And of course, in the meantime, keep shopping Living Threads Co.’s unique, artisanal handcrafted products and make an impact on artisans like Ana from Guatemala to Nicaragua and Nepal.

An Interview with our founder on MEDIUM!

We partnered up with UNLEASHED World and MEDIUM for this interview with Living Threads Co. founder Amanda Zehner.  Check out the full blog below or read it on Medium here. 

UNLEASHED Women features inspiring female trailblazers through full Q&A interviews. These women are creating new own opportunities across industries, pursuing positive impact for their communities, and leading socially productive practices in life and work at large.

UNLEASHED had the pleasure of interviewing Living Threads Co. founder Amanda Zehner, an entrepreneurial pioneer for artisan women around the world. With a passion for artisanship, design, and creating opportunities for those often overlooked, Zehner matches our mission here at UNLEASHED — to support and celebrate women artisans and entrepreneurs around the world. Our conversation with Zehner follows.

What is your current career & role?

Founder & Owner of Living Threads Co.

Can you describe the mission of your company Living Threads Co., how it originated, and the inspiration behind creating the brand?

Our mission is to preserve traditional art and improve livelihoods, by connecting rural small scale artisans to markets. I was inspired to build Living Threads Co. after living and working in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras where I was doing international development work with several not for profit organizations with focuses on sustainable agriculture, health, and education. During this time, I personally became good friends with the women and families who now make up Living Threads Co. Living and working in country I was also able to see first hand the many challenges artisans in poor communities with little access to markets and resources faced — primarily access to markets, credit, training and support, and design. Together, we created Living Threads Co., a home décor brand that considers social and environmental impact as well as quality and design.

How did you become interested in craftwork and design — what experiences or individuals helped spark your interest in the industry?

The space I live in and the things I surround myself with have always been important to me; from one year of interior design school at the University of Cincinnati as a freshman in college to my mud hut in The Gambia as a Peace Corps volunteer, which I spent days re-decorating with new paint, a new mud floor, and wall hangings of traditional West African mud cloth textiles. Continued travel and time living and working abroad only encouraged my love for textiles and artisan craft as well as the people and culture behind it all. While traveling around Morocco and Senegal, I gradually collected enough textiles to open my own storefront (although our first storefront didn’t actually come until 2015). Working in Guatemala and Nicaragua I learned more about the tradition and technique of weaving and become more passionate about the preservation of the tradition and art form, as well as an understanding of the importance of the creative economy and artisan income around the world in some of the poorest and most remote communities.

Who is your sheHERO (a woman that inspires & encourages you)?

Danelia, the grandmother of the family cooperative I work with in Nicaragua is a constant source of inspiration. After living through the conflict in Nicaragua in the late 70’s, as well as the death of her son because of lack of access to medical care, Danelia has fought to give her children and grandchildren a better life than the one she has had. She is reminder that with passion, hard work, and team work you can accomplish great things that will have a lasting impact on the people around you. Because of her work, she has a grown a small family weaving cooperative to include members of her community and her daughter has gone on to law school. And in partnership with Living Threads Co. we have tripled the income of the men and women she works with in Nicaragua.

Who would you like to give gratitude to that has made everything you’ve accomplished so far possible?

Predictably, without a doubt, my family. The world of ‘start-up’ is a hustle. The world of social enterprise artisan start-up, even more so! I could not have done it without the support of my family — from helping formulate our first collection’s colors, to free storage space for inventory, sewing on Living Threads Co. tags, and a whole lot of set-up and break down at markets and shows. I would not have been able to do it all without them!

What exciting projects are you working on (with Living Threads Co.)?

I am very excited about our new global artisan exchange and travel program! This program provides special access and curated art and culture exchanges with our partner artisans both here in the US as well as abroad. Our artisans are hosted by partner organizations, where we coordinate weaving demonstrations, workshops, and discussions on a variety of topics. Additionally, we design custom products and collections, hand crafted especially for these partners and created by the visiting artisan. Lastly, we coordinate and manage unique travel experiences through private and customizable trips for our partners’ members and customers. This program is exciting because it allows our customers to work directly with our artisans, getting to know them personally, seeing their home, community and art in person while also proving amazing professional and personal opportunities for our artisans.

We are currently working with the National Museum of Women in the Arts who will be hosting one of our partner artisans from Guatemala at the museum in Washington DC at the end of this year! You can get updates on her travel and presentation dates on our website and through our news letter.

What are some ways you believe personal brands are influencing corporate industries (beauty, entertainment)?

I believe that by creating unique high quality products and connecting customers to the story and impact behind each product we are creating more informed and mindful consumers. I believe that it is these mindful consumers that are influencing corporations and larger companies — requiring them to be more thoughtful about how, where and with whom they produce. More accountability and transparency at each link in the market chain helps drive real change in the way we produce and consume.

Do you have any thoughts or opinions on the future of the design and home product industry, or the future of socially productive and eco-conscious businesses?

Story telling and being able to connect the consumer directly to the maker is an important part of the success of any product and brand. I believe that we need to ensure that our business models are sustainable and profitable for all involved — meaning customers understand the value of, and pricing, of each product they purchase. As a community we need to invest more in fewer yet higher quality and longer lasting things.

What sources have significantly inspired your work (place, person, experience, worldview…)?

Collaboration and partnerships with other like minded small businesses helps to both inspire and improve our work. We can all learn from one another — helping us to all grow our impact and long term sustainability. Being a part of the larger creative economy through organizations like the Aspen Institute’s Artisan Alliance encourage me to thinking at a larger scale, challenging my own personal assumptions and helping me to think outside the box.

What are some quick pieces of advice you would give to a young professional about starting their own brand?

You don’t need to know exactly what you are doing or how to do it before you start. Just start doing. If you are passionate about it and believe in the people and a product or service, you will figure it out as you go.

What are some quick pieces of advice you would give to someone looking to start a business that values social impact?

As in the world of development, good intentions are important, but not enough. Be thoughtful, informed, understand the context in which you are working, and empower those you are working with to play decision making roles in your business. Having your partners invested in what you are building together will only help to strengthen your company and its impact.

What are some important life philosophies or values you encourage others to consider?

Thinking about how your actions impact others. Take yourself outside of your comfort zone.

What advice would you give to your 22 year old self?

Listen more carefully. Ask more questions.

Biggest pet peeve?

$2 t-shirts. A sink full of dirty dishes and an empty dishwasher.

Favorite thing that makes you happy? (small or large, in general)

Mountains and trees. Running. Running in the mountains among trees.  Traveling to new places. Meeting new people.

What are some other goals you have for the future or new things you’d like to try? What steps are you taking so far to get there?

I am excited for us to expand our product line beyond textiles to include other traditional artisan crafts around the globe. We have begun new product designing with a carpentry cooperative in Guatemala and leather work in Colorado! Our mission to preserve traditional artisan crafts and improve livelihoods for small scale artisans includes artisans from communities abroad as well as communities here locally.

Travel Design Exchange! We are super excited for a bigger focus on the people to people exchange and learning that will happen through our Global Artisan Exchange Program. Connecting people, changing perspectives, sharing culture and blurring borders all while collaboratively designing uniquely inspired products.

Why do you think empowering women and giving back is important?

Women are innovative and resourceful. Around the world, women and girls carry the majority of the burden of poverty yet they do more with less. They have the power to make real change that will last.

Plus, it’s a good business model. Giving back to and investing in men and women means building your capacity and ability to provide more of a better service to our customers.

And, because, women get shit done.

ON THE GROUND IN GUATEMALA

Time working hand-in-hand with each of our artisans is an extremely important part of Living Threads Co.  From learning about each woman and man's creative inspiration, their family, the impact of your purchase on quality of life, and goals for the future of their craft - this time together strengthens our relationships, quality of our products and increases our impact. 

Founder Amanda working with our partner artisan Lidía in her home on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala.  Product : KUS Napkins

Our personal relationships with each of our artisans is the foundation of our design process.  Together we design unique, high-quality products that are created using ancient traditional techniques, yet are modern one-of-a-kind pieces for your home.  Each product is thought through from raw fiber, to color and dye process, weaving techniques, and hand finished details.  

Design PROCESS AT A GLANCE

Exploration of artisans skills, strengths, and design interests

Consideration of traditional design and techniques inspiring product creation

Exploration of raw materials, natural color dyes, and sustainability of product materials

Collaboratively design new product based on customer feedback and behavior, as well as artisan skill and interest

Draft product detail sheet and then bring sample to life

Hands on training for our artisans on quality control and management of orders to facilitate cooperative growth and capacity building

Final adjustments to color, design and hand finishings

Additional artisans are trained in product creation and final products are handcrafted

Product is inspected, packaged and shipped to Living Threads Co. studio in the US where it is photographed and shared with you!

With each purchase we provide additional work and income to our artisans

Founder Amanda works with artisans Amalia and Blanca on a new napkin design. Stay tuned!

Interviews and home visits with our artisans and their families build lasting relationships and help us better understand our impact.

The design process is collaborative and starts with locally sourced raw materials from fiber to plant dyes.

Training and capacity building is a central part of our work with each cooperative. Here we work on processes for quality control and management of growing orders.

The outcomes

Each product is designed to last through years of use, considering not only the environmental impact of the products creation but also of its lifespan.  Techniques chosen for the creation of each piece are important culturally, the creation process reserving the traditional crafts of the men and women we work with.  Each product tells a story of culture, environment and individual creativity.  Furthermore, each product is a source of great personal pride for the artisan. 

Connecting with the women and families that inspire us each day and continue to make Living Threads Co. what it is today.  Sandra with her two daughters in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.

Color, lines, and texture abound on a walk through town. Find these bold designs reflected throughout our collection of table top linens. 

The geography provides inspiration as well the raw materials we work into each design. 

A walk around town provides inspiration for color and design. Antigua, Guatemala

The Impact of Living Threads Co. & Buying Handmade

Part of Living Thread Co.'s mission is to not only connect all of our customers to beautifully handwoven products but also to enable our artisans to continue their passion of weaving. Each purchase you make of our handwoven products impacts small scale artisans - providing them access to raw materials, microcredit, income, and training.  More than this, with each purchase you are providing opportunity for personal creativity, purpose, pride and helping us to keep alive ancient artisan traditions.  We asked our artisans how working with Living Threads Co. has impacted them, as well as what the biggest change in their lives has been as a result of that partnership with Living Threads Co. 

Don't listen to us.

Take it from our partner ARTISANS.

Photo by Luke Pekrul 

Huber Cabellero, nicaragua

"Our work with Living Threads Co, allows us to have improvements in our standard of living, our livelihood and work is based out of our homes, and we have gotten to meet many people. Many people have also gotten to know and enjoy our work and products.  LTCo. has helped us by providing loans to purchase raw materials."  

Lilliam Centeno, NIcaragua

"I discovered my capacity to create beautiful pieces, develop self-esteem, and improve my financial stability. LTCo. has helped increase orders, given us zero interest loans and we have sales in the U.S." 

Daniela zapata, nicaragua

"I now have a larger income and can purchase raw materials through the LTCo. microcredit program. Living Threads Co. has helped us to progress and maintain access to the market" 

francisca mendoza, guatemala

"I am a widow and I survive on what I earn through weaving.  Thanks to this project (Living Threads Co.) us women feel proud of the work we consistently have. It is hard for women to find work in Guatemala. Through weaving and our partnership with Living Threads Co. we can now buy a pair of shoes and we can think about ourselves. Thank you Amanda and the people who buy our products. Thank you also because with your support we are able to realize the dreams of many children. LTCo. allows me to have a security in what I do."  

Photo by Luke Pekrul

Founder Amanda working with our artisans in Nicaragua on finishings.

The History of Weaving Told By Our Artisans

The History of Weaving

In Guatemala and Nicaragua the art of weaving and using natural dyes has been passed down from generation to generation over thousands of years. In Guatemala, backstrap loom weaving, a loom made of sticks and string and then tied around the weavers waist on one end and up into the rafters on the other,  is a traditional Mayan art. This technique of weaving has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations and used to create beautiful hand woven and then hand embroidered fabrics used in the traditional dress of women and men.  In Nicaragua, artisans today are still working to revitalize the traditional art after the cultivation of cotton and practice of weaving was banned by the Somoza regime in the 1950's.  Today, artisans weave on large foot pedal looms, often built by hand using reclaimed wood.  

In both Guatemala and Nicaragua artisans face great challenges in their efforts to keep this art alive. Artisans lack access to year round stable markets, lack financial resources to invest in raw materials, and lack opportunities to learn and grow their business. Living Threads Co. was founded to address all of these challenges. 

What do Our Artisans Say

Recently, we asked some of our artisans about their personal and family history of weaving:

““I am always learning something new, I learned how to weave in 2006 from my mother Danelia Zapata and I have been weaving for 11 years “  
                      ”

— Huber A. Cabellero Zapata

“I learned how to weave 55 years ago by an instructor from El Salvador through a non-profit livelihood program. 
                       ”

— Daniela Zapata

“I learned  how to weave in 2004 from my teacher Daniela Zapata and I have been weaving for 14 years. 
                      ”

—  Lilliam Centeno

“My grandmother taught me how to weave when I was 10 and I have been weaving since then. ”

— Francisca Mendoza

NY NOW

What is NY Now?

The NY NOW Gift Show in New York City is a market held every year to showcase new companies, brands and product lines across home, lifestyle and gifts.  With more than 2,500 exhibitors and over 25,000 buyers, that is HUGE!  Living Threads Co. will be in the Handmade Global section among hundreds of other vendors featuring artisanal and limited production goods from around the world. We are excited to be a part of this unique show, where Living Threads Co. will promote artisanal handmade goods, as well as sustainable and ecologically conscious design.

WHY IS IT EXCITING? 

Through our customers (you), and building relationships with retailers around the world, we strongly believe we can expand our impact on small scale artisans and their families, as well as the environment. These new collaborations and partnerships with small and large stores in your neighborhood enable us to provide more people with socially and environmentally responsible artisanal products that are unique and of high quality. 

WHAT NOW?

Today we are working with our artisan partners, finalizing the designs and colors of our one-of-a-kind products. We are reaching out to our customers, friends and family to help spread the word and build new relationships for Living Threads Co. and our artisans around the globe. We continue to share the stories of our partners, their inspiration, art and our collective impact when we all choose to invest in handmade artisanal goods. 

Take a look at some of our custom designed products we will be debuting  at NY Now! 

IKAT Napkins and Placemats

AUDAZ Blanket

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Where can you find us today? 

 

Steadfast Supply |  Washington, DC

 

116 King St. Pop Up | Alexandria, VA

 

Leslie Flynt  | Santa Fe, NM

 

LOVE Sonoma | Sonoma, CA

 

Cape Weekend | E. Orleans, MA

 

Hurd Orchard |  Holley, NY

 

Loveland Llc. |  Provincetown, MA

 

AERO Studios | New York, NY

What has Living Threads Co. been up to?

TRAVEL + ARTISANS + CULTURE + ART

Recently our team has been out and about traveling throughout Morocco and Cuba. 

First stop, Morocco.

After a not so restful overnight flight, I walked off the plane and into the busy Moroccan city of Casablanca with a group of National Geographic travelers.   I always love traveling with my Nat Geo groups because each person has chosen to be in this beautiful country to dive deep, get their hands dirty and learn as much as they can in a short time!

True to my nature, I was ready to get out of the big city and up into the mountains after the first day.  While exploring the coast, desert, forest, and High Atlas mountains of Morocco, I learned from artisans about the rich culture and ancient artisan traditions. Down dusty mountain roads and tucked inside mud brick homes on the hillside, I spied women artisans at work on their looms with brightly colored natural fibers.

Just as in Guatemala, textiles and artisan craft in Morocco are inspired by the natural resources available to people and are representative of culture, tradition, and environment. Local plants and vegetables are used to naturally dye a variety of natural fiber: cactus silk, sheep wool, camel wool and more.  Despite a small obsession over textiles, we were happily distracted by amazingly intricate ceramic art and mosaics, horribly smelly tanneries, shiny copper and, of course, the knotted and kilim carpets. Morocco is a paradise of artisan techniques and traditions, of textures, colors, and designs. I see something new on each trip. 

Living Threads Co. founder Amanda Zehner in the High Atlas, Morocco.

Next stop, Cuba.

In Cuba we were inspired by the music, art and dance.  With a unique glimpse into a country and its people, my visit felt like a walk back in time. From drumming to jazz, Buena Vista Social Club to oil paints, mosaics, politics and health care, a complicated history has contributed to innovation, creativity and personal expression that is visible around every corner in Cuba today.   

Through our travels, we are continuously learning from and inspired by the people and places we are privileged to visit. The culture and art of each new place contribute to our uniquely inspired products and reinforoce the importance of our mission at Living Threads Co. to preserve artisan traditions and improve livelihoods.

Stay tuned...    

Our new summer collection is being photographed and will be up on our website soon!

This week, our collaborative designs with our partner artisans in Guatemala and Nicaragua are coming to life for our fall and winter collections!  

We are excited to announce that we will be back at NY Now this August building relationships with partner retailers and looking for new ways to grow our impact on small scale artisans around the globe!  

Founder Amanda with partner artisans in Nicaragua working on new designs and finishing techniques. 

Sustainable Holiday Gift Guide Series - The Conscious Home Owner

There's no shame in bragging about your beautiful home. Whether it's an apartment in the city, house in the suburbs, or cottage in the country, making a place feel cozy and unique is essential!

We've rounded up some of our favorite Eco-friendly products to shop before the holidays, and to fill your handmade home.

Hawkins New York - Simple Linen Bedding (Queen) $198
Made of Belgian linen, finished, woven and stonewashed in Portugal, the collection has a relaxed, lived in look.

Food 52 - Hand-thrown Ceramic Planter & Dish $45                                                       Handmade wheel-thrown flower pot with clean matte porcelain finish. Perfectly offsets bright blooms or greenery.

CZH x St Ash - Robe Collaboration $250                                                                                     This cozy robe is perfect to slip into after a long salty day at the beach, or to wear as a light weight jacket over your best summer jumpsuit, or to cozy up in after a long day of work. Made in the U.S.A of 100% linen and non toxic ink.

Indego Africa - Lidded Tassel Top Basket $70                      Handwoven locally sourced sweetgrass. All profits fund educational training programs for the women who handcraft these products.

Living Threads Co. - Chet Pillow $90
Handwoven in Guatemala on Mayan backstrap loom. 100% cotton. Purchase supports small scale artisans.

Raaw in a Jar - Algae Hand & Body Wash $42
Invigorating organic seaweed hand & body wash made with finely milled pumice to stimulate circulation and exfoliate, removing dry surface cells, which helps to improve soft and glowing skin.

The holiday season brings excitement, warmth, and a general feeling of gratitude. Consider shopping small and supporting ethical brands with an honest mission. Living Threads Co. strives to establish sustainable markets to provide year round dependable sources of income for our partner families and cooperative. Click the box below to shop our holiday sale and to learn more about our partner artisans. Happy Holidays!

Sustainable Holiday Gift Guide Series

It's never too late to cross those last minute gifts off your Christmas shopping list! (Or buy yourself a little treat in the meantime...)

We've gathered a list of our favorite sustainable holiday picks from small businesses just like us. Whether you're buying for your brother, granddaughter, or mother-in-law, you're helping support artisan craft and handmade goods. Enjoy!

Be Clean Shop - Svensk Essential Oil Candle $ 38
Artfully scented with essential oils only (no synthetic or "natural" fragrance) and beautifully housed in a glass and cork jar. Hand poured in San Francisco.

CORTIÇA - Cork Coffee Mug $25
Make a statement with this sustainable and Eco-friendly porcelain travel mug wrapped and insulated with cork. A great alternative to all those Styrofoam and plastic disposable cups!

Living Threads Co. - Handwoven Throw $95
Handmade artisan designed and woven 100% cotton throw in Birds Eye weave. Available in a variety of Eco-dyed colors. Purchase supports artisans and their families as well as the preservation of traditional weaving.

Facture Goods - Clay & Wood Short Spoon $25
Beautifully crafted handmade spoon of red clay with white glaze and wooden handle. A truly stunning and functional piece of art.

Marcella Kriebel Art + Illustration - 2017 Watercolor Calendar $20
Digital print of a watercolor and pen and ink illustration. Features a variety of seeds, flora and sprouting plants with the Mexican Proverb "They Tried to Bury Us; They Didn't Know We Were Seeds" in both English and Spanish.

Harper Macaw - Chocolate Bar $9
Founded by a Brazilian chocolate maker and a U.S. Marine Veteran with an ambitious yet tangible objective: To turn chocolate into a force for tropical reforestation.

The holiday season brings excitement, warmth, and a general feeling of gratitude. Consider shopping small and supporting ethical brands with an honest mission. Living Threads Co. strives to establish sustainable markets to provide year round dependable sources of income for our partner families and cooperative. Click the box below to shop our holiday sale and to learn more about our partner artisans. Happy Holidays!