Hand Crafted Banana Fiber Arched Nativity Set

This Nativity set is handcrafted out of banana fiber and comes in a 10 by 7-inch handmade banana fiber box that doubles as a stable.

Esther Kariuki is an independent artisan who, in her area of Kenya, near Kitui, has organized and trained women in her village to use the dried fiber of the banana plant, which would normally be discarded. The banana fiber is first dried, and then a light varnish is applied. Once this process is complete craftspeople cut the fiber into thin strips to make several different items, including boxes, Bao Bab trees, and mobiles. The varnish on the banana fiber with its many tones of brown resembles a textured tortoise shell. Esther ensures the craftspeople are paid a fair wage for their goods, which has enabled many in her small village to earn a sustainable wage.

We believe that hardworking African artisans, producers, and export agents hold the key to their own personal success and that the path to success requires a steady, committed pace. We can extend each artisan's channel of trades from local markets to the global marketplace, all the while providing them with options to work from the comfort of their own homes and communities. Secure in the knowledge that the fair payment they receive will not be reduced by traveling expenses, childcare costs, and haggled prices, most artisans in the network promote their family's future by using earnings to put food on the table and pay educational expenses for their children.

Fair Trade Federation, a group of like-minded companies and organizations that adhere to:
providing fair payment to workers in developing nations
educating artisans and workers to increase their potential for advancement
ensuring the rights of children
developing products and processes that protect and conserve the natural environment
promoting fair trade as the standard in commercial exchanges