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Harvest to Woven Bags

Harvest to Woven Bags

Fall Weekender Bags 

Autumn marks the beginning of the harvest season--a time to celebrate nature’s bounty with family, friends, and traditions. This fall, we are honored to share in the bounty of our weavers by recognizing the labor and care that go into creating beautiful woven bags and goods.

Collecting and Curing Our Handwoven Bags

The process begins by wading through the Philippine peatland to cut and gather tikog, a long reedy grass with tufted seeds. The tikog is brought back in bundles then several days are spent drying the stems in the sun.

Once the stems have changed in color from soft green to pale yellow, they are separated into piles of similar widths and flattened with bamboo into pliable strands. The seeds, winnowed from the stems, are then returned to the earth to begin another cycle of growth.

Weaving and Wearing this Weekender Tote

After the leaves are dry, the weavers begin their work. Women artisans often gather to weave, singing and laughing together as they use time-honoured techniques to render their art. Colorful patterns are then embroidered into the tikog with dyed buri palm leaves. The traditional designs in the finished weekender bags reflect the community’s spiritual and practical connection to the land--the local resources provide both a means for a livelihood and cultural identity.

The Artisan Spirit

When an artisan is involved in every stage of the weaving process—from collecting materials to fastening together the last strands—the finished product embodies her passion and dedication.

Celebrate the harvest with 10% off our Idianali Tote with the code FALL2018.