This week, I am delighted to spotlight Zuahaza’s NEW collection launch called Buchua. For those that aren’t familiar, Zuahaza is an innovative brand working with artisans throughout Colombia.

This fresh line of home décor is perfect for spring and summer. The colors, textures, and patterns found within this collection were inspired by the diverse landscapes of Colombia. All textiles are hand woven, hand dyed, and made using organic cotton and hand-spun wool, sourced entirely in Colombia. Within the collection, they also have a gorgeous line of wall art and hand-painted earthenware.

This month, I am delighted to share an exciting opportunity to travel to Oaxaca from May 15 to 22 alongside filmmaker and professor Carolyn Kallenborn and Ana Paula Fuentes, Founding Director of the Textile Museum of Oaxaca.

It's an interactive journey through which you’ll explore the rich textile culture of Oaxaca, meet talented artisans, participate in hands-on activities, bond with like-minded travelers, and eat some of the best food in the world. This is a unique opportunity to be immersed in Oaxaca's culture, beauty, and craft.

I’ve known Ana for years and her depth of knowledge for artisans and the region second to none. I have no doubt this will be an unforgettable experience and a memorable way to explore this part of the world.

This week, I am delighted to share an interview with Robbie Stewart of Mbare, a long-time colleague of AOW. We enjoyed working together on an artisan project for West Elm a few years back and I have loved following his work ever since.  Robbie has been running his import business since 1997, which supplies a unique collection of handcrafted products from Africa. He also offers warehousing services that are a growing demand for artisan enterprises. He's filling an important niche in this sector and has vast experience so let's dive in! I hope you enjoy!

This week, I am delighted to feature Leslie Mittelberg of Swahili Imports, who has over 28 years of experience in the artisan field. She was kind enough to share insights, lessons learned, and tips for importing as well as working directly with artisan producers.  Though she successfully sold the business earlier this year, during her tenure her team of 22 was working with up to 45 artisan partners in 15 countries throughout Africa. Products ranged across a variety of categories, including garden art, interior décor, textiles, jewelry, kitchen tools, and personal accessories.

I am delighted to start ‘24 by talking trends with Haley Seidel, a home furnishings designer and specialist in trend forecasting and product strategy. I have known Haley for many years now, and I first met them when she had just started working with The Citizenry, one of the top artisan home decor brands in the market today. A few years ago, Haley moved to upstate NY to freelance as a product consultant and designer. Haley has deep insight into the artisan field and a wealth of information regarding design trends, not to mention being a talented freelance product designer, particularly for artisan home decor. During this interview, we dive into her thoughts about trends, what she expects to see more of in ‘24, what’s here to stay, and what she wants to see gone (how to phrase). Also, we dive into travel destinations, business insights, her design process, sources of inspiration, and much more.

Curious to know AOW’s favorite new sourcing destination? Latvia! Yes, I fell in love with this country and its craft. Latvians are deeply connected to their vast natural landscape, culture, and traditions. If you want to connect with top export-ready artisan enterprises from Latvia, click here for the full report highlighting export-ready companies or some behind-the-scenes photos from my trip.