About Us - copy
OUR STORY
Artesano was co-founded in 2014 by Miami-based business
partners and entrepreneurs, Claudia Estrada and Xavier Blum.
Claudia and Xavier were both born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and are passionate about showcasing their homeland’s proud heritage of craftsmanship.
Artesano’s name, which means
hand-crafted, was chosen for the same reason; all of our products are handmade. Most of our materials are eco-friendly and vegan. Our felted wool is consciously sourced from ethical farmers. We are focused on producing our products in a responsible way to help take care of mother earth and all living things.
OUR TEAM
Claudia Estrada is Artesano’s creative director. With a background in design, Claudia studied Fashion at Miami International University and is
experienced in brand development and retail ventures. She previously owned a successful clothing boutique, TOFF, in her early 20's, as well as her own clothing line.
Claudia is an advocate of sustainable production and environmental conservation,
placing these values at the heart of her design approach for Artesano.
Xavier Blum is Operations Director for Artesano. He is responsible for representing the brand and its products around the world. Xavier studied commerce at American University and
has experience in hospitality and events.
Xavier is committed to ensuring that customers and partners have a great experience with Artesano’s collections.
Like Claudia, he is also passionate about charity work and sustainable development in Latin America.
We work with artisans in coastal and mountainous towns in Ecuador. These artisans work out of their homes to in order to take care of their children and families. Our artisans have inherited the craft of weaving from previous generations. Their art form has been a gift passed down for thousands of years. We hope to help them continue on with the tradition for centuries to come.
MATERIALS
The majority of our materials are eco-friendly and vegan.
We use only the highest quality and traditional materials to ensure long wear.
Toquilla straw is the material we use for most of our straw based pieces. Toquilla straw comes from the Carludovica Palmata plant which grows in Central America to Bolivia. The leaves are thinly cut by hand to make the fibers for the Panama Hat. They are then boiled, bleached and dried so the artisans can begin the weaving process. Some Panama Hats can take up to 4 months to finish!
Piñatex is a material made from Pineapple leaves fibers. We use pineapples that are byproducts of existing agriculture, to ensure that there is no waste. This material very much resembles real leather, so we use it for handbags and shoes.
Tagua beads are used as an embellishment for our hats and beaded bags. These beads are hand carved from Tagua seeds (or ivory nuts, as they are commonly called) and come from the Phytelephas palm.
Mocora Straw is used in a few of our hats and shoes. This straw comes form the Astrocaryum standleyanum palm. Leaves are harvested in a non-destructive way, using chisels mounted on long bamboo poles.
