Clay Palm Cosmetic Bag

$ 29.00

The Clay Palm Cosmetic Bag is a modern catch-all with cultural significance. Featuring gorgeous neutral tones, this is a perfect bag to carry your essentials in style.

Details:

• Materials:
  • Exterior: Ugandan Bark Cloth at back and sides, Plated Palm at center
  • Lining: handwoven black fabric made from 100% sustainably grown Ugandan Cotton
• Dimensions: 5.5" x 9"
• Top zipper
• Pleated base
  

Handmade in Uganda!

Barkcloth is a venerated fabric with deep symbolic significance to the cultural and spiritual identity of Uganda for over 700 years. Made from the inner bark of the Mutuba tree (Ficus natalensis), barkcloth is produced in a long and laborious process using various wooden mallets with deep grooves to flatten the bark into supple cloth. Over a series of hours/days the bark is pounded out to an even cloth-like texture and develops its stunning colors. Black barkcloth gets it’s dark, earthy black color naturally by being buried in local clay for 2-3 days.  After each harvest, the exposed trunk is wrapped in banana leaves to protect it as new bark regrows. Trees can be harvested once a year for up to 60+ years providing a sustainable commodity while preserving cultural traditions.

Each piece of barkcloth is sourced from Bukomansimbi Organic Tree Farmers Association (BOTFA) who work to protect and educate about the ecosystem and importance of Ugandan barkcloth.

In addition to the economic benefits of barkcloth production in handcrafts, Mutuba trees store carbon and require limited water. The leaves also provide fodder to livestock and the figs dropped by the trees are eaten by the wildlife.