Our People

We work with independently-run women cooperatives around Burkina Faso. Our process is highly collaborative, and we trust our women artisans' skills, knowledge, and passion. Together, women and cooperatives set fair wages and working conditions. We are committed to following fair trade practices in all aspects of our business. Many of our women have mastered weaving and blending traditional techniques into innovative designs to make one-of-a-kind pieces for you to enjoy.

Working with cooperatives helps ensure that women who are sometimes put into vulnerable positions are aware that they have people willing to advocate for and support them.

Today, the women we work with have become close friends who inspire us every day. Our success is tightly dependent on each other. We are proud to promote female empowerment, fight gender inequality, and create jobs that encourage growth and financial stability for the community.

Accessories and Textiles 

Our scarves, throws, and tea towels are made out of Faso Dan Fani - a traditional based pattern textile woven from cotton grown in Burkina Faso. Weaving Faso Dan Fani is no easy task; the cotton is hand spun into yarns, dyed, and woven onto small and large wide looms. We work hard with our women artisans to ensure we use natural and toxin-free dyes to colour the cotton threads.

Faso Dan Fani means “woven cloth of the nation,” For centuries, the weaving of Faso Dan Fani was carried out by men, while women were tasked with preparing the cotton for the weavers. It was only around the 1980s that women started to organize themselves into cooperatives to start weaving to promote local products and create a steady source of income for themselves.

Raw Butters, Natural Oils, Soaps

The women of Burkina Faso are known to be experts in shea butter. We source our shea butter from a local women cooperative using traditional techniques to make a pure and unrefined shea butter. The shea nuts are harvested from the Karite trees, then removed from their shell, crushed, roasted, grinded, hand whipped, and heated to separate the oil. This once a social activity, and traditionally done by elders, is now an important source of revenue for the rural community. 

Our oils are obtained using a cold pressed method. We start by removing the seeds from the shell, then they are thoroughly cleaned and dried. They are then cold pressed by hand in order to preserve the properties and integrity of the oil.