A step-by-step look at the work of the Artesãos de Porto de Sauípe Associados, who hand-craft our holiday clutches and baskets in Bahia, Brazil. The women in the association are involved in every step of the making of these beautiful raffia items – from collecting the leaves to sewing together the final creations.

Step 1 – Raffia Collection

Collection of the piaçava raffia in the local forests.

Steps 2 - Boiling & Drying

The green raffia leaves are boiled and then rolled up in large circles to dry.

Step 3 – Raffia Strips

The dry raffia leaves are cut into thinner strips.

Step 4 – Dyeing

The raffia strips are boiled again and dyed.

Step 5 - Braiding

The dyed raffia is braided, creating large strips that will later be rolled up.

Step 6 – Sewing It All Together

The braids are sewn together using a special “thread” extracted from the Ouricuri palm tree.

Step 7 – Creating the Clutch

The clutches are produced, sewn into the final design.

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