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Hand Crafted Central American Shawl, 'Earth's Gifts'

Product ID: U35792

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Hand Crafted Central American Shawl, 'Earth's Gifts'

Delivery Estimate

This item is available for pre-order and will ship within 4 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Available in 4 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Details

The patterns on this shawl are inspired by those on traditional cántaros, the clay pots used in Guatemala for holding water. From Nu'Kem Association of Textile Artisans, the images appear on the borders of a rayon shawl masterfully woven on a backstrap loom. The main body of the dark beige shawl features an open weave.

Made in Guatemala

  • 100% rayon
  • Machine wash in cold water on delicate cycle
  • Free Gift Wrap? Yes
  • Premium Gift Wrap? Yes
  • 0.20 kgs
  • 0.4 lbs
  • 178 cm L x 50.8 cm W
  • 70" L x 20" W
  • Fringe: 12 cm L
  • Fringe: 4.7" L
View in metric units View in US/English units

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Nu'Kem Association of Textile Artisans

Meet the Artist

Artfully crafted by Nu'Kem Association of Textile Artisans from Central America.

 

Meet the Artist

Nu'Kem Association of Textile Artisans

Nu'Kem Association of Textile Artisans

"It was very difficult for us to leave our villages and speak to strangers. We had been taught at home that only men could go out, and women were to stay at home and in the kitchen."

"Nu'Kem Association of Textile Artisans is a dream come true for 12 women seeking to find a better life as well as...

dignified wages with which to contribute to their respective family's well being. It began in the year 2000, when there was a project in their region offering a credit program to finance the purchase of threads. However, individuals could not apply for this program so the 12 got together and formed Nu'Kem, which in the Q’echi Maya language means "My Loom."

They received the credit as well as training programs where they were trained in style and design, because back then the only thing they knew how to weave were the traditional huipiles or blouses.

As an Association, they learnt to organize themselves and the first project they worked on was designing and weaving placemats with patterns from their huipiles; then they began to weave scarves and shawls. Little by little they continue designing new products as they encourage and support each others' creativity, which in turn allows them to have a stronger financial resource doing what they know best: weaving on a back strap loom.

By the year 2002, Nu'Kem Association had welcomed 180 women from the Alta Verapaz region, all working together to ensure the Association continues growing. By participating in Nu'Kem Association, women contribute to the family finances, thus ensuring their children go to, and stay, in school, which up to then had been a problem: children were required to work to contribute to the family’s economy.

Yolanda, who is president of Nu'Kem Association, shares her experience as a weaver: "I learnt to weave when I was 10 years old. A neighbor taught me because my mother didn't know how, which was very strange for a woman in my village. The first thing I wove was a huipil which I decorated with little ducks and balls. I wore it for seven years with great pride! I wore practically every day.

"Since I joined the association, I've learnt to weave new things. At first [laughing] we were a bunch of scared women, we wouldn't go anywhere. When we'd go out, I remember being afraid of men with beards. One day we went to a restaurant and a bearded man came in, and I got so scared I ran and hugged the manager! Startled, obviously, he asked me what had frightened me, and when I told him he replied he'd get a razor to shave him so I wouldn't be scared anymore. I still remember that day."

"My mother taught me how to weave when I was 11 years old," says Elvira Coy, another founding member. "The first thing I wove was a small huipil, but it was too small for me to wear so I sold it for 12 Quetzales. That made me so happy because it allowed us to buy some things we needed at home. I have taught my six daughters, and now they are teaching their daughters. Two of my daughters have joined the Association, which fills me with great pride and happiness.

"At first, when we were setting up the Association I had to travel a lot because of work and I used to get told off by my husband and children because I wasn't looking after the family or the house. That was very difficult for me, but I managed to overcome it and I didn't quit the Association. It makes me feel very proud to see how we've managed to set very high quality control standards, and that we are also able to share our knowledge with other people and organizations."

"I was eight years old when my mother taught me, and the first thing I made was a tiny huipil," recalls Julia. "We sold it for 15 Quetzales and I was so happy because to me it meant that someone had liked my work so much they paid for it! Eventually I learned how to include more complicated patterns into my designs."

"It was very difficult for us to leave our villages and speak to strangers. We had been taught at home that only men could go out, and women were to stay at home and in the kitchen," Yolanda joins in again. "Now we feel so proud to be able to go out to sell, and not be afraid of the adventure. Our dream is to find new markets so we can sell more, so that we can in turn offer more jobs to the women weavers of our region."

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Return instructions

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This item is available for backorder and will ship within 4 to 8 weeks. Artists love to get backorders. Placing a backorder ensures that the artisan will do their best to create and deliver your item to our local office for shipment.

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WOMEN S M L XL XXL
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
BUST 35 - 36 37 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48
WAIST 27 - 28 29 - 30 31 - 33 34 - 36 38 - 40
HIPS 37 - 38 39 - 40 42 - 43 45 - 46 49 - 50
MEN S M L XL XXL
CHEST 36 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48 50 - 52
WAIST 30 - 32 32 - 34 35 - 37 38 - 41 43 - 45
NECK 14 - 14.5 15 - 15.5 16 - 16.5 17 - 17.5 18 - 18.5
SLEEVE 32.5 33.5 34.5 35.5 36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE

Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.

BUST / CHEST

Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.

WAIST

Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.

LOW WAIST

Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.

HIPS

Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.

NECK

Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.

SLEEVE

Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.

INSEAM

Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.

 

Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.

For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.

For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.

See buckle/tie belt size standards below.

WOMEN S M L XL  
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
inches 26 - 30 28 - 32 31 - 35 34 - 38 38 - 42
cm 76 - 86 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

MEN S M L XL XXL
inches 30 - 34 32 - 36 35 - 39 39 - 43 43 - 47
cm 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5 109 - 119

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

Sash tie length

Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.

Belt with buckle

Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.

Belt without buckle

Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.

Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!

DOWNLOAD

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UNICEF Market's artisan-direct prices are made possible through our partnership with NOVICA, a leading fair trade organization that works directly with artisans in remote regions around the world in many of the same communities where UNICEF has missions. NOVICA’s ten global Artisan Empowerment Hubs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America provide interest-free microcredit loans to artisans and help them bring their handmade creations directly to you.

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