Philippines

Item #s:7904720, 7913180, 7913190, 7913380

Feeding on plankton and algae, capiz thrive in shallow, muddy and sandy substrates.  Skilled divers harvest capiz in the clear, summer water by groping for the capiz with their fingers and toes. A diver can gather about 6,000 capiz in a day. Before the capiz shell can be fashioned into different works of art, it passes through labor-intensive processes. First, artisans wash the shells with hydrochloric (muriatic) acid and rinse them with water. Artisans use coarse sand to more easily exfoliate the shell. Artisans place shells on a tray to dry and then bake in an oven. To soften and whiten the shells, artisans soak the shells in peroxide. Then, they cut the softened shells into different patterns or mold them into shapes by gluing and pressing the shells into resin moldings. After the shells dry, artisans sand, then brush the shells with a top coating mixture to smooth the surface.

$8.00-$28.00

Peru

Item #s:6102960, 6102110, 6102560, 6100040

With an artist's touch, Alfredo Sacsa adds the fine details to the painted wood accent pieces he designs and creates in his home workshop, located in the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Using local wood and his carpentry skills, Alfredo transforms raw lumber into attractive accent pieces for your home.

Alfredo and his wife, Isabel, create quality, painted wood furniture and home accent pieces for Ten Thousand Villages artisan partner Manos Amigas, based in Lima, Peru. Alfredo's connection with Manos Amigas, aptly named "hands joined in friendship," gives him access to the international marketplace and a guarantee of prompt payment and fair prices for his work.
 

$24.00-$295.00

Vietnam

Item #s:5403060, 5405510, 5403190, 5400350

Young stone carvers in Vietnam carve these designs in soapstone, polish the design until smooth, and finish it with a color stain to accentuate the detail.

Nguyen Tien Dung, a master craftsman, transforms the lives of marginalized and underprivileged young men in Hanoi, Vietnam by teaching them the fine art of stone carving and employing them in his workshop.

Many of the young men were unable to go to school, or to finish their education due to economic hardship. Through a partnership with Nguyen Van To School, the young carvers attend classes, participate in a literacy-training program and gain valuable handicraft skills. It takes artisans one year to become fully trained in the art of stone carving. As the carvers improve their skills and gain more experience, their salaries are increased to reflect this growth. They specialize in stone boxes and figurines.

$38.00-$158.00