The Forest Foundation, Inc.

The Forest Foundation, a Durham-based non-profit, was invited to participate in the International Craft Fair in Bogota, Colombia, sponsored by the Community of Andean Nations and the Government of Colombia’s craft development agency, Artesania de Colombia.

The Foundation’s President and Board member, Marc Dreyfors, traveled to Colombia as a guest and spent 5 days in the country. The Fair featured artisans from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. Though not as diverse with Colombian artisans as the annual December Bogota show (spectacular in indigenous cultures and craft materials used), seeing so many different cultures in one location was a treat. The fair was held in the Plaza de Artesania, a specially built, semi-outdoor, open market using bamboo and innovative architecture for which Colombia has now become famous.

Sadly, the undercurrents of the US drug war and the impacts of unsustainable development were readily apparent. Two million people have been displaced in Colombia, of which the majority are women and children desperately seeking income, with some turning to crafts. As far as safety, Colombia is not exactly a vacation paradise for the family! Heavily armed guards checked for bombs, and the trade representatives did many things to make us feel comfortable and safe. Travel by car was highly risky in most parts of the country, so visiting the artisans was very difficult. This is very sad because Colombia is very beautiful and diverse in geography and cultures.

For many artisans, it was their first large tradeshow, a step-up from the traditional markets on the side of the road, or maybe in the nearest city. The artisans were excited to talk with wholesale buyers from all over the world, many were invited as guests of the governments. Most were as prepared and professional as any from US shows. It was amazing to see their skills in negotiation, reading body language and their pride and pleasure at being singled out to “work deals” with foreign buyers. Most had relatively good sales materials (at least business cards, and many with email), and excellent booth merchandizing.

If anything, it was the design that one came away with as revolutionary. Of course, there were exquisite textiles, using traditional styles and iconography a thousand years old with amazing workmanship. But what was unique and very apparent was the degree to which many traditional artisans were integrating old styles into new designs. If South America has a competitive advantage it may be in its textiles, and in some cases, its design ready for international markets. Though pricing and production may continue to be a problem in a world rapidly globalizing, there is much potential. With continued assistance in product development and marketing, some producers may go international. But not to be undervalued, many were seeing success in local and national markets.

For the artisans it was a great opportunity to get experience with international markets, how to exhibit at a tradeshow, and do some “corporate espionage” on what other artisans in other countries were doing. Of note were: a beautiful, handmade paper project produced by Colombian refugees; batik pillow cases, shopping bags and placemats using traditional Peruvian Inca iconography with very beach-like, fun colors; alpaca wool, cotton (Bolivia) and silk (Colombia) shawls, using natural dyes and spectacular herringbone weaves, that made the product look extremely sophisticated; and finally, beautiful bags, using natural fibers, like “iraca,” “toquilla,” “canaflecha,” sisal” and others, and some with a touch of leather.

Though the production and tanning of leather is very abusive on workers and the environment (use of toxic and polluting chemicals and high cancer rates), the small use provided a touch of fashion. In Colombia, there are some producers that are ISO 9000 certified, and the hope is that fair trade and forest certification will follow soon. It is also interesting to note that the silk project in Colombia is in the coffee growing region, providing supplemental incomes for coffee picking families in an industry that has been devastated by the collapse of coffee prices.

Aid to Artisans was represented and was busy putting together their USAID funded craft development project in the southern region of the Colombia, where the coca growing is centered right now. It is hard to imagine that a farmer will shift to craft development, as beneficial as it may be, given the return on investment. One of the most exciting aspects of the Fair was the presence of IFAT representatives and FTF importers. It is these types of relationships that hold great promise for some producers. Though governments will probably look at sales volume to measure their success, they need to look at long-term impacts and realize that most of the producers exhibiting cannot feed the supply chain of Pier 1 (whose buyers were present). Artisans will need to compete with design, quality and build long-term trade relations with importers, relationships that over time may grow to fill larger market needs.

Mr. Dreyfors was offered an opportunity of a lifetime and was invited to visit the canaflecha producers as a guest of the President of Colombia’s son, who was starting his own business to sell canaflecha crafts. The President’s family was from the region in Northern Colombia, and canaflecha is one of four Andean Nation projects receiving funding support to improve production of the crafts. Indeed, from interviews, raw material prices were increasing. Increased demand for finished goods and reduced fiber production was causing raw material prices to double, squeezing the artisans, barely covering their labor costs. Growers of the fiber have been unable to plant this year because of a very long and extremely unusual drought in their region, (which may be attributable to global climate change).

Colombia sits at the top of South America between major eco-regions: the Amazon basin, the Pacific lowland and Andean tropics and the Central American corridor. The Andes mountains splits into two “cordilleras” creating a high, central valley that tapers to sea level in the north. As you pass from the from the lowland hot and humid tropics up and over those 10-15,000 foot snow covered mountains, climate cools and the plant species change. The people living in these regions depend on the plant communities unique to those regions, developing techniques for cultivation and use of their materials that identify them specifically with those areas. Colombia is a mega-diverse in natural fibers, having as many palm species as Brazil, a country four times as big! Many cultures of these Andean nations are “palm cultures,” everything they make and use for day-to-day living is made from different species and parts of palms. Many cultures are dependent on the diversity of plants for use in everyday life. Conserving these ecosystems is critical to the development of sustainable livelihoods for theses countries.

As a development tool, crafts make a huge impact, and the governments of Andean Nation’s know it. No other industry has the effect on poverty alleviation, self-sufficiency, women’s empowerment and the multiplier impact than crafts. So many people are affected when raw materials are cultivated, sold, value-added by the hard-work of artisans and sold again. From the natural fibers raised with care to the natural dyes used to color them to the equipment purchased to increase quality and production capacity, a dollar spent in craft development “packs a punch.” That is why the Craft fair was an achievement in itself. We can only hope that our country will realize the hypocrisy of our drug war and invest in development and trade that makes a difference.

For more information about The Forest Foundation, please contact The Forest Foundation at (919)957-1505 or e-mail info@theforestfoundation.org.