Terracotta Wayúu Mochila Crossbody Bag

Some colors are named after places. This one feels like it actually came from one.

Hand-crocheted by an Indigenous Wayúu artisan in La Guajira, Colombia, the Terracotta Mochila draws its palette from the landscape around it:  rich red earth, auburn sunsets, and the warm desert tones of Colombia’s northern peninsula. The traditional geometric pattern gives those colors somewhere to go, while the intricately woven strap turns even a plain T-shirt and jeans into something that looks considerably more considered. Its drawstring shape is roomy enough for the everyday accumulation of all the things you apparently needed despite having no memory of packing them. Each mochila is crocheted individually by one artisan using techniques passed between generations, so variations in stitching, pattern, and dimensions aren't flaws in the process. They are the process. It carries a little of La Guajira with it, which is considerably more interesting than carrying another bag that could have come from anywhere.

The Details

• Traditional Wayúu mochila crossbody bag
• Hand-crocheted by Indigenous Wayúu women artisans
• Made in La Guajira, Colombia
• Terracotta, rust + warm earth-toned palette
• Colors inspired by the red earth + auburn sunsets of La Guajira
• Traditional geometric pattern
• Drawstring closure
• Handwoven crossbody strap
• Each mochila is made individually by one artisan
• Variations in stitching, pattern + dimensions are inherent to the handmade process
• Gentle machine wash
• Do not tumble dry, bleach or iron
  

About the Brand:  One Thread Collective

One Thread Collective started because the women making the bags knew exactly what they needed:  more people to buy the bags. Founder Jackie encountered Wayuu communities while working in La Guajira in 2018 and 2019, where families were facing poverty, food insecurity, water scarcity, and limited access to international markets. The women she met weren't asking for another charitable intervention. They wanted help selling the mochilas they already knew how to make. One Thread Collective grew from that fairly important distinction. Today it works with 120 artisans across 10 remote Wayuu communities, connecting generations of weaving knowledge with a larger market while reinvesting 100% of profits into educational programs for Wayuu women. The organization also provides interest-free microloans, and 10% of every purchase supports a community project chosen by the artisan herself. The objective isn't to rescue a traditional craft. It's to make sure the people who already possess that craft have considerably more power over what it can provide for them.