African Craft Stands

More Info

General Info

Mission Statement The developing world is the kind of place where a Mercedes Benz will pull up to oxen cart at a inter-section, and the man in an impeccable suit will lean out to ask directions from the oxen cart driver, who’s not wearing shoes. The suit costs more than the oxen cart driver makes in a year, but the two men, for one brief moment, will chat with ease about directions before slipping back into their separate worlds. African Craft Stands’ mission is to promote social justice and economic interdependence of peoples in countries around the world. Our mission is to empower people to change the way the global economy works, through co-operation. Our goal is to create a market that values the people who make the food we eat and the goods we use. In the true spirit of creativity African Craft Stands is an evolving group of people excited about new ways of thinking about world heritage and culture. What we do? African Craft Stands‘ aim is to harmonize the mindset of producers and consumers. We trade fairly, produce locally and have small water & carbon footprints. We try to learn and understand African TRADITION. We take these lessons and bring sunshine to Western shores—INNOVATION. African Craft Stand is a co-operative. Our products are purchased directly from individual artists and producer groups in Africa providing a much-needed source of income for African communities. We have developed long term sustainable relationships with the artists that we work with. We hope you will enjoy browsing and shopping on our website and offer our assurance that you can shop securely and confidently, with the knowledge that your purchase(s) will directly benefit the producer in Africa. The featured art and individual artists have been carefully selected for their originality, artistic expression and quality of workmanship resulting in a unique and stylish collection of Africa's finest artistic talent. Customers buying from our website should be aware that due to the handcrafted nature of the items and the medium of natural materials used, slight variations in color, shape and size are inevitable. No two items are exactly the same and it is this that lends beauty, personality and spirit. However, we will always do our best to supply as closely as is realistically possible, to the images on our website and assure you our quality is second to none! Our collections tell stories of exquisitely detailed beauty. The beauty of our collections lies in a seamless blend of cultures, traditional crafts and innovative techniques, furthering equitable trade with each print or stitch made. That is what we are about—exploring African cultures working with artisans to make beautiful goods.

Services/Products

African Cloth and Fabrics Kente cloth is a traditionally made fabric from Ghana. Kente cloth was first produced by the Asante people (now central Ghana). Kente cloth is hand made by small-scale producer groups in villages. It is a skill pasted down from generation to generation. Different styles and types of Kente remain passed down in villages of the initial inspiration. This gives each village a unique character and story. Each color and many of the patterns have meaning. We demand all of our Kente cloth to be produced with local materials and to reflect local traditions. Fine African Arts Many artists in Africa struggle to make ends meet, but there is a lot of talent in those streets. We try assist African artists and artisans in achieving a productive livelihood as well as to promote African art that we think the world deserves to see. We’ll keep you updated on our progress, share our discoveries, and provide illustrations, and share some of the stories of the people we meet along the way. You can check out our fairly large selection of paintings on our website. We work with about six artists; each has their own style, but generally the art is contemporary. There are some abstracts, a good number of landscapes and then some African modern art. African Handbags and Purses All of our bags are made from recycled cloth. They are handmade by African woman, many who have no formal education. This project is a great way for these women to earn an income. All our recycled cloth bags are made from scrap material. These scraps are collected and sown into one of a kind bags. Our bags have many different styles, some finished with zippers, and some with African copper amulets; still others are finished with recycled glass beads. The outsides of all handbags are quilted from recycled cloth. The inside is lined and completely interfaced with brown, blue and grey cotton, some have inside pockets. Other bags have exterior pockets. Many of our bags are reinforced with hardened cloth. This technique is a really fun way to help lower cost of production for low-income producer groups, and a smart way to create more with less. Plus it looks Great! We at African Craft Stands are committed to reduce our carbon footprint, and this product is a great way to give a fashionable yet responsible gift.

Brands

African Cloth, African Fabrics, African Handmade Crafts, African Instruments, African Jewelry, African Painting, African Products, Fair Trade, Fine Arts, Glass Jewelry, Handmade Crafts, Kente Cloth, Recycled Glass Beads, Recycled Glass Jewelry, Wholesale, Women's Accessories, Women's Cloths

Payment method

amex, carte blanche, company card, diners club, discover, jcb, master card, paypal, visa

Amenities

We at African Craft Stands commit ourselves to a high level of environmental responsibility. We commit to utilize supplies in our products that are environmentally responsible. We go about this in three basic ways: 1. use recycled supplies, 2. use local supplies, and 3. employ local skills.

Categories

Art Galleries, Dealers & Consultants, Craft Supplies, Fabric Shops, Women's Clothing, Women's Fashion Accessories

Details

Phone: (603) 321-3944

Address: Nashua, NH 03061