Rolando

Bronze belt buckles

Rolando creates our handmade buckles at “Bronze,” a family owned shop in Antigua, Guatemala. We create the designs as Rolando and his son gather earth from the local mountains to create a composite mixture for the moulds. Through a process of pressing and heating the mixture around wooden carvings of our designs, they create molds into which the lava-like bronze is poured. The bronze is left to set for a few days until each buckle is ready to be individually cleaned and polished. Buy Rolando's Bronze Work: Bronze Buckles

Osamu Sato

Handmade Leather Bracelets

Osamu Sato is a Japanese artisan that has been living in San Pedro and working  in Antigua, Guatemala for the past ten years. He creates incredible pieces of wearable art. Osamo travels to handpick all of the stones then designs and sews each piece of jewelry . His work helps to support his wife and 2 children (boy: 6 years old, girl 2 years old). Osamu employs one Guatemalan woman, who helps him sew. Buy Osamu's Creations: Handmade Leather Bracelets

Veronica Lopez

Beaded Necklaces and Woven Bracelets

Veronica Lopez designs and makes her own jewelry in San Pedro, Guatemala. She and her mother use beans, seeds, hemp and other earthy beads to create necklaces and bracelets. They vend each day on the beautiful streets of San Juan to support themselves. Buy Veronica's Creations: Red Frijole Necklace

Rosa

Naturally Dyed Scarves

Rosa works with an association of Mayan women to hand dye fabric with berries, coffee beans, tree bark, leaves and other natural resources. For the past three years they have been working with Ambos Designs to create beautiful scarves. After the fabric is dyed, the women cut and tie each tassel by hand. This ensures the highest quality and provides fairly waged work opportunity for women within the Guatemalan community. A portion of sales from their weavings and dyed fabrics goes to education and community support. Buy Rosa's Creations: Naturally Dyed Scarves

Gerardo:

Embroidered Bags and Wallets

Gerardo is a great father and sole business owner in Panajachel. He has been sewing his own creations for years. He began helping Ambos Designs by using his talent to create custom yoga bags, wallets, and bags for the past three years. He is a very dedicated and motivated individual with great ideas to share!

Buy Gerardos work:

yoga bags and wallets

Estela

Natural, Handmade Books

Estela and her family started their own creative project of book making in the family owned business on Santander. She speaks the Mayan language Quiche as her primary language and has 4 Kids. Her husband Eddie works as a traffic officer. Each of the handmade Journals are created with all recycled materials and they have been very successful in generating income for the family. With wooden covers and burlap coffee bags as their bindings the designer Estella and her family put a creative spin on each of their colorful designs. Pages inside are recycled, unlined paper perfect for writing, poetry, scrapbooks or drawing. Buy Estelas Creations: Handmade Journals:

Creaciones Chonita

Santiago Beaded Jewelry

Each piece of jewelry is hand-beaded by a group of women in Santiago.  This group, “Creaciones Chonita” saves a part of their profits in a scholarship fund for the education of their children. The unique styles, colors, and designs set this collection apart from any other. Buy Creaciones Chonita Jewelry: Santiago Beaded Jewelry