Cabanix in association with Frank Rogin Inc. is proud to bring to New York the works of dedicated and talented Colombian artisans.

The Cabanix collection represents the richness and versatility of the Colombian culture, from the Colombian pacific rain forest to the cold Andes mountain range and from small villages and local tribes located deep in the rain forests to cosmopolitan cities. These skillful artisans mix the purest ancient techniques with sophisticated contemporary designs to produce exquisite hand-made works.

questions? [email protected]

212.431.6545

WERREQUE BASKETS

(Price range from $110.00 to $650.00)

Werreque baskets are made from the Werreque palm tree that grows in the Colombian Pacific rain forest. Only selected branches of leaves are used in the process of making the Werreques. The palm tree is never cut down.

The artisans are groups of women from the Wounaan tribe, who populate the different local communities in the area. The women work on the leaves by shredding their fibers, treating them and then naturally dyeing them with many different brilliant colors. The women start the laborious activity of sewing the baskets with as many as 3-4 needles (called PAPOTERA) per Werreques, thus creating beautiful patterns.

One of the wonders of the technique is that there are no breaks or knots in their sewing. They start from the center and grow outward from there. This symbolizes the growth of the family from the nuclear family to the extended family to larger social structures. As there are no breaks in the sewing of the baskets there are no breaks in the family and society.

The Werreque baskets can take up to 6 months to complete and were originally used centuries ago for carrying water and storage of foods. The process and skills involved has been preserved and passed down from generation to generation.

BALAYS (Yarumo Cane Trays)

(Price range from $49.89 to $98.90)

From the plains of the Colombian southeast, the men of the Tucano and Cirano tribes elaborate this beautiful balays. Women don’t are included because of the hard work involved. The fiber used comes from the Yarumo cane, it is colored with natural dyes, and finally is hand woven from the center to the perimeter. The Balays have been used for generations for holding grains or for storage of other foods.

HAMMOCK CHAIRS

(Price: $595.00)

Hand-woven cotton hammocks bordered with macramé and supported by a wooden harness. The harness connects to the ceiling in a contemporary reinvention of the way hammocks were originally used. They come from the plains of Arauca (northeast of Colombia), called the land of the raising sun.

HAMMOCKS

(Price range from $370.00 to $595.97)

These exquisite cotton hammocks are hand-made in the Colombian tradition. There are three types: artificially dyed, naturally dyed, and off-white macramé. The types varies with the region, the first two comes from the north of the country and the last one from the Colombian Andes. All are of excellent quality, hand-made and wonderfully designed.

KANKUAMA MOCHILAS (knapsack)

(Price range from $55.00 to $95.57)

In the Southeast part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (a ridge of mountains located near the Atlantic coast of Colombia) lives the Kankuama community. Within there, a group of talented and hardworking women weave these unique and beautiful mochilas. The process starts with the indigenous fique fiber. The fiber is treated and dyes made from vegetables and insects, create the color of the thread. Their weaving technique, made either with one or two needles, follows a circular pattern that represents their organization principle of the culture and their interpretation of the cosmos

BARK HAND BAGS

(Price range from $195.00 to $250.00)

These bark handbags are the result of the combination of tradition, innovation and modernity. A Colombian designer, raised on the Colombian Pacific Coast, uses bark from the “damagua” tree to form the main body of the handbags. The handbags are naturally and synthetic dyed and have either bamboo or leather for handdles.

Puffs (Price: orange puff is $530.00 and off white is $500.00)

Cone puffs are made from Colombian hard wood, banana tree fiber, Iraca palm, and upholstery. Colors: orange and off white.

TOTUMO LAMPS

Totumo is the shell of a non-edible fruit grown in many parts of the Country. It is today still used as a drinking vessel for some communities. In this case, it is skillfully used as a shade, a base or other parts of the structure of these unique lamps.

SIBUNDOY STOOLS

(Price: large $280.00, small $250.00)

Made from one block of wood this unique design is made in the Sibundoy Valley in the southwest region of Colombia.

CANDLES

(Price range from: $55.00 TO $75.00)

questions? [email protected]

212.431.6545