hope you have been enjoying these artisan highlights from Guatemala! This will be the last email of this series so along with spotlighting a few final products, I also wanted to share some resources that I think will be helpful as you look to source inventory from Central America. First, I’ve created a guide of my top export-ready picks from Guatemala, available here as a free, downloadable PDF. I know many of you ask what materials or techniques are particularly strong in a specific country or region. As you’ll see in the guide, Guatemala has a lot to offer, including sustainable (naturally dyed and upcycled) textiles, recycled glassware, beadwork for accessories and home accents, ceramics, and natural materials (such as FSC-certified wood).

This month, I was honored to interview Marissa Maximo of Anaak Collection. If you haven't yet seen her line of artisanal apparel, get ready to be swept away by her collections. They evoke ease and approachability. Marissa scouts the globe, searching for the highest quality craftsmanship and materials, presenting a chic, bohemian line of feminine apparel. Marissa shares her thoughts on how Anaak competes in the competitive luxury market. Our candid conversation includes her take on artisan as a luxury, her most successful marketing strategies and how she balances artisan and machine-made products to keep up with demand (her key to creating a sustainable business model).