Wayuu bags are vibrant, colourful and ideal addition to your wardrobe. Today they are worn by people all over the world. The reason for their popularity is not just their beauty but their versatility. They can compliment a number of looks and be used with a variety of outfits and for different occasions.
The bags are also appreciated by their owners because of their cultural history. The bags are a central aspect of Wayuu culture. The Wayuu are an indigenous people of Colombia who practices many traditions that predate the arrival of Europeans in Latin America. When you visit La Guajira (their homeland) you can experience several of these fascinating customs. Weaving is one of the most important traditions they still practice. The Kanas (the geometric designs) woven into the bags represent stories or knowledge related to the Wayuu’s spiritual beliefs, environment in which they live and the stories that they have inherited from their ancestors.
It also takes years of learning the crochet technique in order to be able to make a quality Wayuu bag. And even when a Wayuu has become an experienced artisan, one bag can take up to 20 days to handweave. This is why Wayuu bags are part of the rising trend of consumerism that champions ethical purchases and slow fashion.
For these reasons, Wayuu bags are highly appreciated in the Wayuu community and have a growing fan base around the world. But, due to their growing popularity, buying a bag today has become a little bit of a minefield. Unfortunately, not all sellers and suppliers are ethical. So how do you know that you are 1) buying an authentic bag and 2) buying a bag from an ethical seller?
Let’s have a quick look at the types of sellers there are in the UK.
1. Wayuu Bags mass-produced in a factory
1) The first and the worst are the sellers that are selling a bag made in factory, usually in Vietnam or Indonesia. These bags are, of course, not authentic and they usually involve poor working conditions for those who make the bags. How to spot them? Very low price (under £30 for a large Wayuu bag with a design for example) and low-quality knitting technique).
2. Wayuu bags sold by websites ‘claiming to be ethical’ but with no evidence to support this claim
2) The second type of seller is the majority of people and shops selling Wayuu bags online in the UK today. The bags that they sell are authentic. They are made by the Wayuu probably bought and shipped in from Colombia. However, many of these shops do not have an ethical relationship with the Wayuu artisans. They may claim to buy their bags directly from Wayuu artisans and pay them a fair price. However, if they do not provide any evidence of this, it is highly likely that they bought the bags from an intermediary in Bogota or even La Guajira, who buys the bags from the Wayuu for a very low price and sells them for a large profit to this type of supplier. How to spot them? Check in their ‘about us’ or ‘blog’ pages for any evidence of ethical agreements. If they are not there, then it is very probable that they do not have an ETHICAL RELATIONSHIP with Wayuu artisans.
3. Online shops that publish evidence of a fairtrade style agreement:
1) The preferred option are the online shops that claim to have an ethical relationship with Wayuu artisans and evidence this relationship on their websites. These online sellers publish a fair-trade agreement on their websites, usually in the about us or ‘blog’ pages. We at Akuaipa Artisans, for example, publish our agreements with our suppliers. How to spot them? Check in their ‘about us’ or ‘blog’ pages for any evidence of ethical agreements.
4. Online shops who support educational and community projects:
2) They are other online sellers that go still further than this. They actively invest their profit or percentage of their profits in the Wayuu community. These online shops contribute to educational projects, infrastructure projects that help the survival of Wayuu traditions and their language. These shops are extremely important and very rare indeed because this type of work requires a close relationship with the Wayuu community, which is not easy. We, at Akuaipa Artisans, proudly support the work of Dr Paul McAleer, who has built a relationship with the Wayuu for over 14 years. For information on these projects see our ‘About Us’ page and our blog on the importance of ethical consumerism.
Ideally, if you feel strongly about ethical issues and ethical trading standards, these are the types of shops that you should choose to purchase your Wayuu bag. Wayuu bags also make great gifts for friends and family. But the real gift is also showing your friend or niece or aunt that their bag has done some good for the world as well!
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