The tiny town of Usiacuri nestled in the sunny Caribbean coast of North Colombia is almost exclusively dedicated to making artisanal products made from the Iraca palm, a plant relied upon for the supply of fibres for weaving in Colombia, as well as for insulating houses.
Palm-based products have become so popular that farmers are replacing their coca crops with it. While coca can often be highly profitable, the illicit trade it supplies has brought with it insecurity and often violence to rural communities, not to mention the environmental damage caused by the chemicals used in cocaine production.
The Iraca is a shade-loving plant meaning it can be harvested without the levels of deforestation associated with its distant cousin, the oil palm. The enterprising locals even use its leaves in salads.
Our products are sourced from a Co-operative that uses local iraca supplies. The cooperative consists of over 200 artisans, the majority of whom are women that are able to work from home and raise their children.
Designs are inspired by nature found around the Caribbean coast of the region, such as 'El Caracol', the El Atlántico artisans' symbolic shell design.
We have focused our collection on designs that celebrate the palm in its natural state, with occasional splashes of colour.
Each placemat takes 2-3 days to make, plus the time to process the palm leaf.
