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Built On
Values
We created Collective-Stories out of a passion for uniting thoughtful design and ethical craftsmanship.
In a remote corner of Guatemala, we found ourselves captivated by the symphony of color and skill that embodies the country's handcrafted textiles. An intimate connection with a group of native artisans, practicing traditional weaving, laid the foundation for Collective-Stories. Our mission is to bring together artisans from around the world, who are all bound by their commitment to preserving and evolving their craft.
We founded Collective-Stories after a trip to Guatemala, where we were inspired by the country's beautiful handcrafted textiles and impressed by how fundamental weaving still is to the Maya culture today.
In Guatemala, we embarked on a quest to master the ancient art of backstrap weaving and came across a local foundation that offered day-long courses under the guidance of native artisans. It was within the vibrant threads of this experience that Collective-Stories came to life. A full day of weaving and laughter with talented artisans was all it took for us to know that we wanted to work with them and share their talents with the world.
With a shared passion for design and craftsmanship, we wanted to offer products with timeless appeal, but embrace the traditional skills and knowledge from artisans from not only Guatemala but around the world. We invested countless hours learning the possibilities and the restrains that comes from the art of backstrap weaving, brocade and hand dying natural materials. These are all features that we at Collective-Stories have come to love and are the heart and soul of our products.
From our adventure in Guatemala we have set out to explore traditional craftsmanship around the world to create a variety of products all handmade by local artisans and help local communities by providing artisans with opportunities for economic independence and strengthen their entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Our Ethos
Collective-Stories was founded with a passion for uniting thoughtful design and ethical craftsmanship. We work with master artisans around the world to celebrate their crafts and create timeless quality homeware.
We connect with artisans to develop relationships based on transparency and Fair Trade principles. Our collaboration enables the artisans to access sustainable employment, which builds a foundation for continued development, better living standards and help preserve local culture and traditional craft.
Preserving the natural environment is deeply rooted in the ethos of the cooperatives we work with and they ensure that the raw materials are sustainable.
We work with natural materials such as cotton, wool and buri to create our products. Where possible we use natural dye for minimal environmental impact.
We produce slowly small handmade batches, which enable us to pay attention to details, materials and processes in order to make products that are made to last.
We create simple yet sophisticated homeware mixing archaic techniques with modern aesthetic to create new essentials which will age beautifully.