JOINING FORCES WITH THE LEAKEY COLLECTION
The Leakey Collection has focused on zulugrass bracelets and jewelry in Kenya since 2002. Their iconic grass beads are dyed with low-impact dyes and strung on durable elastic. The sale of their products contributes to wonderful work in East Africa, including creating employment for thousands of women, promoting health and hygiene, bringing clean water into homes, and mentoring young girls through school.
Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbors with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource- GRASS- as the primary element.
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$32.00
This eye-catching copper disc bracelet is handcrafted by young self-taught Zambian women of F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, sometimes adding a patina. Defying gender norms by becoming metalsmiths for jewelry-making, these women showcase modern Zambian skill in their F.R.E.E. Woman jewelry.
Sold singly. A matching necklace and earrings are available. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly.
Dimensions: 1"W x 9"L (from end to end, unclasped). Length can be adjusted at closure.
Crafted from: Copper
Made in: Zambia
About the Artisans:
F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) started as a group of young, inexperienced women, with no previous jewelry making experience and defying gender norms, who taught themselves metalsmithing using copper. Using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, they transform it into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Their skills have continually expanded, and some women have trained in silversmithing.
$18.00
Vibrant patterned ankara cotton cloth elevates small lined journals and large blank sketchbooks. Each book includes an elasticized band for keeping the pages closed, and the journal includes a ribbon for keeping place.
Journal measures 8"L x 5.25"W with 80 lined pages. Sketchbook measures 12"L x 8"W with 70 blank pages. Due to the handmade nature of this item, variation is in pattern placement expected.
About the Artisans:
African wax prints, also known as Ankara prints, are common materials for clothing in Africa, especially West Africa. A woman named Georgina works with a group of artisans who batik-dye cloth and sew colorful accessories.
 
$14.50
Made in small batches by a co-op of South Sudanese women, this Charcoal Facial Soap is a mix of Lulu Life virgin shea butter, sheep milk, activated charcoal, saponified lye, and tea tree essential oil for scent and clarifying.
Lulu Life is an organic, Grade A virgin shea butter that is produced using nuts from the vitellaria nilotica tree, which grows only in remote East Africa. Most shea butter comes from West African shea trees and is sold as a hard solid. East African shea butter is silky and harder to procure, and considered a precious luxury good. Lulu Shea Butter is made from nuts that are collected, cracked, sorted, dried, ground by hand and cold-pressed (avoiding even the slightest trace of chemical contamination).
Sold singly wrapped in cotton fabric. Patterns will vary.
Dimensions: 2"L x 2"W x 1"H
Crafted from: Virgin shea butter, sheep milk, activated charcoal, saponified lye, and tea tree essential oil
Made in: South Sudan
About the Artisans:
Founded in 2000, Lulu Works is a non-profit trust established to provide a source of sustainable income for the women of South Sudan. Comprised of women-owned processing centers, Lulu Works ensures that the profit from the production and sale of Lulu Life products returns to these women. It also provides an incentive to protect the natural shea butter resource.
Vitellaria nilotica tree grows across South Sudan in thick forests and takes 20 years to bear its first fruit. These forests are untouched by chemicals or fertilizers.
$48.00
These beautiful hammered copper bracelets are handcrafted by young self-taught Zambian women of F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, sometimes adding a patina. Defying gender norms by becoming metalsmiths for jewelry-making, these women showcase modern Zambian skill in their F.R.E.E. Woman jewelry.
When allowed to return to work, the women crafted a short-run series of copper jewelry inspired by the need to stay together even when apart.
Width can be adjusted. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, each will vary slightly.
About the Artisans:
F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) started as a group of young, inexperienced women, with no previous jewelry making experience and defying gender norms, who taught themselves metalsmithing using copper. Using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, they transform it into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Their skills have continually expanded, and some women have trained in silversmithing.
$34.00
These beautiful hammered copper earrings are handcrafted by young self-taught Zambian women of F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, sometimes adding a patina. Defying gender norms by becoming metalsmiths for jewelry-making, these women showcase modern Zambian skill in their F.R.E.E. Woman jewelry.
When allowed to return to work, the women crafted a short-run series of copper jewelry inspired by the need to stay together even when apart.
Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, each will vary slightly.
About the Artisans:
F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) started as a group of young, inexperienced women, with no previous jewelry making experience and defying gender norms, who taught themselves metalsmithing using copper. Using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, they transform it into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Their skills have continually expanded, and some women have trained in silversmithing.
$36.00
Treat someone you love with this beautiful Leakey gift set! Featuring strands of colorful Zulugrass beads from The Leakey Collection, and a hand-carved soapstone box adorned with the words "Love Always," this set makes a wonderful fair trade gift.
Gift set includes:
$36.00
Treat someone you love with this beautiful Leakey gift set! Featuring strands of colorful Zulugrass beads from The Leakey Collection, and a hand-carved circular soapstone box adorned with a beautiful spiral pattern, this set makes a wonderful fair trade gift.
Gift set includes:
$36.00
Treat someone you love with this beautiful Leakey gift set! Featuring strands of colorful Zulugrass beads from The Leakey Collection, and a hand-woven sisal giving basket ornament with a fitted lid, this set makes a wonderful fair trade gift.
Gift set includes:
- Three 26" Zulugrass strands crafted in Kenya.
- One pink giving basket ornament from Rwanda. Measures 4-5" tall, 2-3" wide, with a 3" string.
$48.00
These beautiful hammered copper bracelets are handcrafted by young self-taught Zambian women of F.R.E.E (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, sometimes adding a patina. Defying gender norms by becoming metalsmiths for jewelry-making, these women showcase modern Zambian skill in their F.R.E.E. Woman jewelry.
When allowed to return to work during the pandemic, the women crafted a short-run series of copper jewelry inspired by the need to stay together even when apart.
Width can be adjusted. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, each will vary slightly.
Crafted from: Copper
Made in: Zambia
About the Artisans:
F.R.E.E. (Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment) started as a group of young, inexperienced women, with no previous jewelry making experience and defying gender norms, who taught themselves metalsmithing using copper. Using copper recycled from used water heaters and wire, they transform it into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Their skills have continually expanded, and some women have trained in silversmithing.
$28.00
Handwoven in Senegal, these grain baskets are crafted using coils of natural grasses, woven together with up-cycled plastic strips in a dotted pattern. Beautiful displayed on a table or adorning a wall.
Sold singly. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly.
Dimensions: 12"L x 12"W x 3"H
Crafted from: Typha (cattail) stalks, plastic
Made in: Senegal