Obakki Journal - Ideas To Live An Intentional Life

MASTERS OF LAVA ROCK: OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS FROM PUEBLA

MASTERS OF LAVA ROCK: OUR ARTISAN PARTNERS FROM PUEBLA

Our Mexican artisan partners tell us that they love working with lava rock – as their forefathers (and mothers) did. The textures, the colours, and...

IN PRACTICE: CREATING THE PERFECT PLANTER

A plant is just a plant until you put it in the perfect planter. Keller, from Bamboo Village in Vancouver, recently and showed us how to repot our ...

Hands That See: A Mexican Love Story

His workshop is Manos Que Ven (Hands That See). The artisan is Jose Garcia Antonio, a sculptor who lost his sight in the 1950s, due to glaucoma. An...

Five Questions: Alexis Dodd of Steelwood Design

Whether it comes from the cabinet of a home that spent decades filled with love, or from a table gifted to a soldier and his wife as they began a n...

Notes from the Field: Mexico

To me, it is a land of endless opportunity and possibility. A chance to discover and work with artisans who take pride in their culture and heritag...

African Baskets: Weaving Stories of Women

These women are incredible, and it is their drive and commitment that is the future of African baskets. They learn their craft by spending hours up...

Belgian Linen: A Love Story

Looks good, lasts forever. Absorbent, soft, gets better with use. Small ecological footprint. And worth its weight in gold. Just ask the Egyptians.

Notes from the Field: Uganda

Red earth. Eucalyptus trees. Rain pounding on roofs. People waving as you pass. Boda Bodas honking. Brightly coloured dresses. Men sitting under sh...

MOLCAJETE MAGIC: THE MEXICAN MORTAR AND PESTLE

Ultimately, it’s a mortar and pestle made from lava rock. But in reality – it is much more. This utensil has been used by pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican...

Notes from the Field: Kenya

It was a time of great reflection and planning in 2020 when the world shut down. Before we knew it, it was the autumn of 2021. Time to get back int...

Why Small Batch Production is the Most Sustainable Approach

There are multiple benefits to small batch production, starting with what they aren’t. They are not mass-produced in some factory somewhere. And th...

Five Questions: Ceramic Artist Bianca Pintan of Australia

Today we sit down with ceramic artist and sculptor Bianca Pintan for our series "Five Questions". Bianca draws inspiration from the imperfections i...

Obakki Gift Guide: Gifts Handcrafted by Female Artisans

Supporting our entrepreneurial female artisans is one of our priorities. Not that there aren’t some incredible male artisan partners in our group –...