09.27.10 *FOUND

Being a designer, I get excited by texture and color and photography and making order out of chaos. I love utilizing found objects, natural resources and making something out of nothing. So Bangladesh has been a bit of a playground for me because while it offers very little in the way of order, there is quite a bit of chaos. If you can't find it (and you probably can't), you can certainly find someone who can make it, plus a whole orchestra of people who will want to learn how to make it. So, the combination of all these factors added to the glorious textiles, well, it's pretty fertile ground for artsy types. While my head is full of potential ideas... there are quite a few noteworthy trailblazers who's products are impacting the market.

PEBBLE | HATHAY BUNANO: hand-made toys and children's clothes

This is the kind of stuff you buy because you can't resist leaving it on the shelves. Not only is it completely novel, it is well designed and crafted with savvy color-combinations and spot-on charm. This project is the brainchild of Samantha Morshed who very much understands the idea of utilizing the woman-power of Bangladesh in an environment that works for the woman— in her village, not in a factory. Pebble | Hathay Bunano currently employs over 2000 women at rural centres and also employs the women from the Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP), mentioned in a previous post. Her products are for sale in Bangladesh and also in fine retail establishments in Europe, Australia and in the U.S. Three cheers for you Samantha and all the women that make these can't-live-without products. Pebble is a member of Ecota Fair Trade Forum. If you own a children's shop, know someone who does, please send them to hathaybunano@gmail.com for wholesale inquiries.

SOURCE paper, textiles, jewelry, etc.

Source is the MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) emporium and wholesale showroom. Because MCC has so many projects in their job creation program, this store is bursting with current samples of paper, textiles, gift-items and jewelry. They do a swift export business and partner with quite a few retailers that request custom designs. It's like a candy shop for people like me. Most of these items are sustainably made, the colors vibrant, and the designs are unique yet appealing to a broad audience. Many of these items are available for purchase as Ten Thousand Villages but wholesale opportunities are also available.

AARONG: Bangladesh's biggest emporium of hand-crafted, design-based products

Aarong deserves an honorable mention. I shared their part in the Heart House story, which in and of itself is inspiring, but the "awe" factor lies in visiting one of their retail shops. It is literally layers upon layers of saturated texture. Floor after floor of beautiful and funky items made in rural villages all over Bangladesh, mostly by women, hurrah! The whole thing feels like a choir of color singing at the top of its lungs. No images will do it justice. London has one, I wish Boston did. www.aarong.com

MOTIF: recycled gift items

Heavily focused on fair trade, Motif is the brainchild of British designer Jackie Corlett. A full-fledged import/export operation, Motif works directly with the artisans in creating function-focused items, many from recycled products such as candy wrappers and cement bags. Every member of their team is treated like "family" and they are endlessly working up new ideas. They are also 100% fair trade. To view their products, visit them at: www.motifltd.com