November 03, 2021

A Look Back at the New Products from 2021

Fall Celebration Season is officially HERE!!

It's hard to believe that we are in the home stretch to the end of the year already... How is it almost the holidays again?? Time flies when you're having fun and partnering with incredible artisans offering unique and beautifully crafted goods!

Below is a little recap of some of our new partners and products from this year as a reminder that for the holidays, you can shop global, locally, and find pieces for your home or gifts that truly share a story.

Tackussanu - Senegal

Tackussanu’s fundamental belief is that every person has the right to safe jobs and fair, livable wages. Each piece is made following fair trade principles, ultimately contributing to a life-changing sustainable income and giving back to the people who made it!

If you love color and interesting shapes, these are your people.

Blankets from Africa - South Africa

‘Blankets from Africa’ was born out of a road-trip through the Karoo, part of the heartland of South Africa, where the level of unemployment, especially among the women, had reached alarming levels. They provide these women with the means to create a product out of the softest and highest quality natural wool, sheared from the very sheep which surround them. The provision of a simple pattern, needles and pure wool is the catalyst for them to generate an income, enjoy a community spirit of working in a group and experience feelings of achievement and of being valued.

We are so excited to be expanding our children's offerings through this new partnership. These are THE softest and most special baby blankets that you could gift to an expectant parent or keep for yourself and wrap around your own little ones!

Cotton Tree - South Africa

A collection of handmade contemporary cushions focusing on texture and original design, guided by environmental kindness and community upliftment...

The journey began in 2012, learning the skills as a mindful and meditative activity, which naturally turned into a much loved hobby and evolved into a small business. It is so satisfying to work at something that you love every day!

Expanding our textiles collection was something that we have wanted to do for some time now, but we really wanted our partners to be extremely unique. We knew we found the right match with Cotton Tree. These pillows are absolutely stunning and the knitting is like nothing we have ever seen. But don't take it from us, read what our lovely customer Leslie, one of the first customers to order an Afriscandi Sunrise Pillow, just sent us today...

Dear Kanju Team,

My pillow arrived today and it is fabulous, it is beyond expectation!!

Thank you,

- Leslie D.

Design Africa - Zambia

Design Afrika was established in 1995 by Binky Newman after 15 years of involvement in various aspects of African craft. She had just left the Okavango Delta, where she had run a wilderness camp for five years, taking with her the intricately woven baskets of the Hambukushu women. These became the first products in the Design Afrika collection of finely made handwork. Binky’s passion for baskets has taken her to many remote parts of the continent to track down weavers and she is now an acknowledged reference in African basketry.

While we have been partners with Design Afrika for quite a while, we received some stunning new baskets from them this year with gorgeous curves and weaving detail. There are so many ways to use these amazing baskets, but as a nod to the holiday season, the Munyumbwe shopping basket would make an amazing gift basket that could be filled with everything from baked goods to wine and cheese.

Kanju Interiors