Black Fique

Artist: Duitama

Origin: Cali, Colombia

Manufacturing time: 4 Weeks

Technique: Ancestral Manual Weaving

Materials: Fique

Fique is an indigenous plant native to the Andes region. Colombia is the world's leading fique grower, but what's important is that its cultivation is not industrialized—it provides employment and sustenance for 70,000 peasant families. Also, it has been an important plant in indigenous cosmology since the precolonial period until today, as seen among the Kankuamo people. Fique belongs to the Agave subfamily; similar species in Mexico are used to make tequila. In Colombia, fique has today many uses, from crafting beautiful and delicate artifacts to making basic tools, such as packaging for coffee and cocoa exports, and even for tying cows in pastures due to its resilience.

Package: Cardboard (Räpina Paberivabrik AS, 90% of the raw material is waste paper), reuse of cardboard waste (OÜ Järsi).