Here are some behind-the-scenes during AOW’s sourcing trip to Romania, images from our 12-day road trip throughout the country. This country is fascinating - from the wild natural landscapes to the rich culture, food, and artisan work. Craft industries are small-scale in Romania, so sourcing here takes time, but AOW has great partners if you’re interested in working with artists from this part of the world.

A peek at our buyers’ trip to the West Bank in September, before the war broke out in Gaza. UNDP and PalTrade supported this trip in partnership with AOW Handmade. Together, six buyers traveled throughout the West Bank alongside me and the UNDP team, discovering the rich culture and craftsmanship that this part of the world has to offer. This was an absolute highlight of my year. I hope these images show the beauty, kindness, rich craft, and cultural heritage Palestine has to offer.

This week, I am delighted to spotlight one of the most beautiful artisan brands: MILLE et CLAIRE. Founded in 2014 by French designer Anne-Claire Lancenet, MILLE et CLAIRE works primarily with small families of artisans from India. Anne-Claire’s multicultural roots and background in fashion around the world led her to discover savoir-faire and develop relationships in many countries. From there, MILLE et CLAIRE was born. She has an exquisite eye and sense of design, skills ideally suited to the work she does designing limited edition collections for the home. Everything the brand touches resonates with themes of tradition, design, and craftsmanship. It's honestly one of the strongest in the market.

This week, I am delighted to spotlight an immersive cultural journey to Mexico this January, led by my friend and colleague Jessica Warner of Twofold Handcrafted Travel. Jessica is one of those old souls with a sincere passion for travel, culture, and distinctive textiles. She has beautifully blended her passions by curating in-depth, artisan-focused trips to Mexico, Japan, the American Southwest, and India. She has a few spots open for her upcoming trip to Oaxaca (which runs from January 16 - 25), so keep this unique opportunity in mind if this is a destination you have been wanting to explore. Just a couple of seats are still available! Whether you are looking for a unique cultural experience or are interested in connecting firsthand with artisans, this is a fabulous and memorable opportunity.
 

This week, I am delighted to feature an interview with Maggie Galton and Maria E Hagerman of Onoracasa, co-founders of one of the most beautiful artisanal brands I've come across in the market today based in Mexico City. I love how she gracefully blends exquisite craftsmanship, which speaks to culturally diverse craft techniques throughout Mexico, and elevates the artist's work by selling in their brick-and-mortar shop and online DTC site to a level that the craft and artists deserve through a keen eye and curation. Onoracasa has so much soul and beauty and strong relationships with its partners, and hope this can be a model for those in other countries to follow, as I feel their retail company has elevated the sector for those small, often unrecognized artists with exquisite museum quality products. Wholesale was a model they tried, which didn't work, and Maggie dives into that a little, where the trade and retail have been a focus for them. 

Are you looking to source fresh artisan brands from Latvia? 

Searching for new vendor sources but don't have the time to travel? 

On the hunt for a unique curation of handmade home decor products from a less explored part of the world? 

Look no further as our ‘Latvia Sourcing Guide’ includes Annie's picks for the top export-ready vendors from this seriously underrated design and craft destination. Annie visited Latvia this past spring and was overwhelmed by the quality, craftsmanship, and unique designs the country’s handmade products offer. From Annie's perspective, this is one of the most exciting new destinations for artisan sourcing. Annie has created this curated list of brands to take the hassle out of sourcing. Each pick is committed to efficient communication, simple ordering, a social ethos, as well as exceptional design and quality. We've gathered our favorite artisan brands (and their contact details!) so you can easily source new artisan vendors. We hope you enjoy discovering all that Latvia has to offer.