We’re so proud to share that Lombia+Co was featured at Nordstrom’s Flagship Store in New York City during Latin Heritage Month — a celebration of culture, craftsmanship, and community made possible by The Folklore. Discover how our Wayuu artisans from La Guajira, Colombia brought handmade tradition to the global stage. 

Discover Lombia’s new chapter. Meet Isabel & Laura, the women leading Lombia with fresh branding, a relaunched website, and colorful new handmade Wayuu bag designs from Colombia. 

In my journey of selling Wayuu bags, each thread woven into the fabric tells a story of culture, craftsmanship, but most importantly, the woman who made the bag. As you know within the Wayuu category, there are two main types: single thread and double thread bags. **The Difference Between Single Thread and Double Thread Wayuu Bags** As much as I cherished the beauty and authenticity of single thread bags, there came a point where I had to make a difficult decision. Today, I want to share with you the reasons that led me to bid farewell to single thread Wayuu bags and embrace double thread Colombian mochila bags whole heartedly. 1. Communication Issues Every single thread Wayuu bag is a testament to Wayuu culture and how they see the world through Kanaas. However, these artisans reside in the remotest corners of Colombia, where cell phone connection is scarce to non-existing, and the rhythm of life beats to a different tune. It was too hard for me to work on collections without knowing when I would hear back. 2. Navigating Risky Terrain While the allure of single thread Wayuu bags is undeniable, the journey to their place of origin is fraught with challenges. Our on-site coordinators are unable to visit these remote places frequently and traveling poses significant safety risks. The lack of communication infrastructure means that once you embark on the journey, you're largely cut off from the outside world. As someone deeply invested in the well-being of both the artisans and our team, I couldn't ignore the inherent dangers of these expeditions. 3. Extended Production Times Production of single thread Wayuu bags is a slow process. With only a single thread weaving through each intricate design, the time required to complete a single bag is doubled compared to double thread Wayuu bags. This prolonged production timeline pushed delivery dates far beyond the season we designed for and it's became a race against time that we more often than not found ourselves losing. 4. Exploring the possibilities The decision to focus exclusively on double thread Colombian mochila bags became apparent. By shifting our focus to double thread bags, we could offer a wider range of designs and meet the demands of our growing customer base more efficiently. Beyond a business decision; it was a commitment to creating steady employment and creating lasting impact in the communities of the artisans we work with. 5. Versatility and Design Double thread Colombian mochila bags represent a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation. Their enhanced durability and faster production turnaround time ensure that we can keep on creating designs you will love. From timeless classics to trendy pieces, our collection of double thread bags promises versatility, and unparalleled craftsmanship. **Lombia's Wayuu Bag Creative Process** While my journey of selling Wayuu bags has been filled with moments of awe and admiration for the artisans behind these treasures, it's essential to adapt and grow in response to changing circumstances. Together, let's continue to weave a tapestry of beauty and authenticity that celebrates the rich heritage of Colombian craftsmanship

Guillermina has been working with us for over two years. She started working with her mother and her 2 sisters. To give Guillermina a boost and to help her grow her network of artisans and production quantity, last year we set a productions goal of 300 pieces to complete over 365 days. This meant she would have to find a way to expand from 4 people to at least 10, which was no easy feat. Guillermina would have to have to find the right artisans and learn to manage people outside of her community. As a reward for reaching her goal, we promised her a washing machine to save her time from hand washing her family’s laundry. Here is her journey. My name is Guillermina Sijuana Epiayu, I am an artisan and I work in the commercialization of Wayuu bags. I am from Uribia. I have been working with you for a little bit over two years. HOW’S IT BEEN WORKING WITH US? I have learned to be responsible with customers and I have learned, well we have learned (because we are group of women who are head of their household) we have all learned that we have to be organized in order to deliver what the customers ask for. Like this we can continue to work. Quality is also very important because our customers expect high-quality products. They are very demanding and they want quality designs, the colors they ask for and products that are well made. Above all they want quality delivered on time. When they ask for something in one month, it means one month. It has been a continuous learning because at the beginning we weren't like this. We were a little bit unorganized but with time we've learned to organize ourselves, organize the people who we work with and how long they are going to take to deliver orders on time. HOW HAVE YOU GROWN PERSONALLY? I have learned to value my work, I have learned to value my own craft, because even if you have customers that are willing to pay a fair trade you have to give value to your own work. I have also learned to be responsible, because I have had to work with customers and when you are responsible you are able to build trust. But if you're not responsible, they might not order from you again. I have also learned to become more organized, on a certain day I have to meet with the artisans, see how they are doing, and what they need to improve on. Organization has been key for teamwork. HOW DID YOU LEARN TO CROCHET? I learned to crochet with my mom who taught me at the age of eight or nine-years old. There I did my first stitches to create very simple pieces with no designs. Later in school I improved my craft. I studied in a monks school and in my school there were Wayuu artisans and thanks to them I improved my crochet and the quality of my work. When I graduated high school I also kept on crocheting and here I am today still working on my craft. WHAT DOES CROCHETING MEAN TO YOU? Crocheting is a part of me, it is a part of my identity, of my culture and a part of me as a Wayuu woman and artisan. WALK US THROUGH A NORMAL DAY I wake up at 4 a.m. to get my children ready for school. The first thing I do is organize, after I go ahead and prepare their breakfast. I have a 7 year-old girl who I have to get ready, brush her hair, check her schedule and around 6:30 am when they are at school, I start cleaning my home, the patio, the bedroom, I have to organize their mess and their clothes. Once I am finished I get ready because I attend to my shop until 5:00 pm. Sometimes I will also have work at night. And when I have to do laundry, because I also have to wash the children's clothes, I try to arrive home early. If I have too much work I leave it for the weekend and I spent about half a day cleaning my children's clothes and mine, everything by hand! Thank you so much for the washing machine. Now that I have it I know that I will be able to save time. SIDENOTE: Today, Guillermina has been able to maintain her operation to 12 artisans and has increased her production capacity to 300-400 bags per year. She has made contact with over 30 artisans in the past year, and at the end of 2019 she was able to travel to the capital to sell and showcase her pieces at the largest artisan trade show in Colombia. Goal accomplished! It’s thanks to you that we are able to do the work we do! And to give back to the hard working women that deserve it. Thank you for your continuous love and support.

Hi guys! This is Jade from Lombia + Co. and today I wanted to share something that is very dear to my heart, which is the creative process behind the brand. I am by no means a professional designer, and this is not something I have studied. But when it comes to designing for the brand, I follow my intuition a lot, I follow my gut feeling. I inspire myself from current trends and I also look at what the artisans are making to honor their designs and honor their heritage. (VIDEO) Wayuu Princess Recognizes Lombia As ‘The Right Way To Do Business’ I take all these different elements and combine them to create something that you guys will love which you can find in the store. So today, I wanted to go over what goes on behind-the-scenes, and how I work and create the pieces that you see. The creative process begins with visual research. This means I soak in everything around me. I get a lot of inspiration from magazines, social media, and websites that discuss up-and-coming trends. A large part of the designs are adaptations of what the Wayuu artisans are already making. Adapting it to a more modern style and color palette. I like using designs that artisans are making as it is a reflection of their culture and heritage. The Mythical Spider Behind Wayuu Bags (Walekeru) And of course, I always listen to you guys to see what you would like to see more of. So I take all of this information and choose just a few designs and color combinations. I have to really use my imagination to see which colors and which designs go best together to create the beautiful selection you see on the website. Once I have a very clear idea of what I want, I have to translate this onto a document for the artisans to understand. So it has to be very clear and concise so they can make them magic into reality. Once the document is sent, production time takes approximately 4 to 8 weeks depending on how intricate pattern is or how large the pieces are. And Voilá! I hope you like this video as we looked into the creative process behind Lombia + Co. and if you did like this video please be sure to give it a thumbs up! Until next time!

I wanted to answer a question a lot of you guys have asked me and it's what are Wayuu bags really made out of. As you’ll see on product descriptions, all my Wayuu bags are made of acrylic while other competitor's websites state that their Wayuu bags are 100% cotton. The misconception behind the material of Wayuu bags So, what's the reality? Are they made of cotton or are they made of acrylic? I have faith that this is not the seller trying to deceive you, but more of a misconception. You see, when you go to La Guajira, where these Wayuu bags are made, and you ask the artisans what these bags are made out of, they will tell you that they are made of algodon, which is cotton in Spanish. But what they mean when they say algodon what they mean is just that it is a fabric. For them algodon, or cotton is any type of fabric, They don't actually know if it's polyester, if it's acrylic, if it's viscose, etc. A Little History On The Materials Used To Make Wayuu Bags Why NO Wayuu bag is made of cotton A first sign that indicates that these bags are not cotton is how colorful these Wayuu bags are. They can be washed over and over and still maintain their bright hues. If Wayuu bags were made out of cotton, they’d totally fade after a first wash. But most importantly, I know for a fact that all Wayuu bags available for sale are made of acrylic because artisans buy their thread from only two companies. Whether they buy in small or larger quantities, there are only two companies in La Guajira, the region where these bags are made; Hilos de Bogota and Miratex. These two companies only sell acrylic thread in the region of La Guajira. (VIDEO) The Creative Process Behind Lombia’s Wayuu Bags Before Wayuu bags were such a hot and popular item, artisans spooled their own thread from natural fibers, and used natural dyes which produced more earthy tones like browns and reds. But today, they have commercialized Wayuu bags and to save time and create these colorful bags, artisans have stopped making their thread and buy from the colors available. All right, so I hope this answers your question to what Wayuu bags are really made out of. If you have any other question, please let me know in the comment box down below and I will be more than glad to answer your questions.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT Wayuu bags are not made equal. There’s a big price difference and a large part of it is due to the amount of love and time spent making a Wayuu bag. Attention is in the details and by being able to check for them, you’ll be guaranteed to take home a quality Wayuu bag. How to spot quality in a Wayuu Bag Quality is so important to me as I take a lot of pride in all the quality of the products in my store and I wanted to show you how I check for quality in my products and how you can do the same if you want a quality Wayuu bag. 1. Look for a Wayuu bag that stands on its own The only sign of quality tourists are told to look for is stiffness. The stiffer the Wayuu bag, the tighter it was crocheted. If you place the bag down and it folds over it means that the artisan had a loose hand when crocheting, and as a result, the bag will kind of collapse instead of sit up straight. 2. A pretty pattern on the bottom of the Wayuu bag The second thing you can look for when you're looking for quality is if the Wayuu bag has a design on the bottom. This one for example has a small design at the bottom, as does this one. Not all bags will have designs on the bottom. If an artisans takes the time to crochet something at the bottom of the bag, I take it as a sign of love as they didn’t just hurry to get it done. (VIDEO) Why No Wayuu Bag is Made of Cotton…EVER! 3. No visible errors in the pattern of the Wayuu bag The next thing I look for are any errors in the pattern. Little errors that don’t affect the pattern are OK. But if a line that’s supposed to be straight but looks curvy or a pink background has blue in it, I would definitely reject the bag. By just taking a few seconds to review the bag, you'll be able to see if something is off. I do take into account that it is a handmade product and accept small errors that don’t compromise the quality of the Wayuu bag. Fake Wayuu Bag Imitations Made in Colombia 4. No threads are peaking out from underneath When you look at a well crocheted bag, you will not be able to see the threads underneath the design. Well, right here there's a bit of thread showing underneath. This isn't a big deal, but if you have a lot of these showing it would be a sign that the bag is not good quality. A Little History On The Materials Used To Make Wayuu Bags 5. Recognize the different drawstrings Another thing you can look for when it comes to quality are the drawstrings. So, here as you can see, you have a very basic drawstring. This was made using the twist method. But you also have other types of quality which take more time. So here you have a braided drawstring. See the difference? You have the twist, the braided and another drawstring which is woven. The woven takes the most time, and as time is also related to quality, it’s considered to be the highest quality drawstring. (VIDEO) How To Tell The Difference Between 2T and 1T Wayuu Bags 6. Good-looking tassels Another thing I look at when I look for quality are the tassels. Tassels are super important as they are what dance around and what you touch when you wear your Wayuu bag. I make sure that the tassels are full and that they don't look like a mouse's tail, that they look nice and luscious. Tassels with mixed colors are faster to make because artisans can take several balls of yarn of different colors and roll them all together, while tassels with separate colors have a more time-consuming process. Same goes for tassels of a single color. 7. Look at the Wayuu bag finishings Once I've made sure there's no errors in the pattern, that there's a beautiful design on the bottom, that I like the drawstring and the tassels, I look at the finishing. So, for example here you have a woven strap and this woven strap was attached manually with a thread and needle. I make sure that the attaching thread is straight as sometimes it can be uneven. If you have any other question, please let me know in the comment box down below and I will be more than glad to answer your question!

When you visit Colombia or go online, you’ll find Wayuu bags with all different types of bright and vivid colors. However, before colonial times, Wayuu fabrics were exclusively white, sometimes used in combination with another earthy color. (VIDEO) Why No Wayuu Bag is Made of Cotton…EVER! Today all Wayuu bags are made of acrylic from large thread manufacturers that provide thread in a wide range of colors. Traditionally, wealthier Wayuus used wool for their dresses and sashes. Cotton and cucuiza (thin rope made from natural fibers were also commonly used). Many of the textiles were of a single color, either red or black as it was not common to combine colors. (VIDEO) 7 Ingredients Of A Quality Wayuu Bag The wealthy caciques wore white blankets with colored stripes on the edges. Pigments were limited to what was available in nature and typically included colors such as brick red, brown, black, and yellow. Fruit would be cooked in a pot to extract the dye and balls of yarn would be soaked in the liquid of the fruit. The threads would later be washed and left in the sun to dry. After being colonized by several countries including the Dutch, Spanish and French, Wayuu textiles started gaining notoriety and began trading in large quantities. Natural yarns were replaced by acrylic, providing faster production, better durability, a more vivid range of colors and a better hold of these colors. It’s said that the color combinations of Wayuu fabrics are perhaps influenced by the teachings of the Mexican masters. Whether this is true or not, Wayuu textiles are a truly unique masterpiece that come in all colors of the rainbow. (VIDEO) The Creative Process Behind Lombia’s Wayuu Bags

After having exported 12,000 Wayuu bag worldwide since 2015, I wanted to help you find the right wholesale Wayuu provider so you can get the quality Wayuu bags and designs you want at the right price for you.  1. Establish smooth communication Establishing a clear line of communication is the the first stepping stone to choosing the right wholesale Wayuu provider. This means that: A. You're able to understand your wholesale Wayuu provider and that there's a minimal communication barrier B. That you feel they are responsive. Meaning, if you email them, or what's up them, or call them, or get in touch with them through whichever form of communication you prefer, that they are actually respond and answer you within an appropriate amount of time. 2. Receive clear product pictures Sometimes, you might receive pictures that are a bit dark or that are of a single angle of the product. In these cases, you shouldn't hesitate to ask for more pictures. Before you buy, make sure that you feel you are getting the product you think you are getting. It's important that you feel a certain level of trust from your wholesale Wayuu bag provider. You also want these clear pictures to make sure that the product you're interested are free from: A. Any defects in the design B. Have quality finishings (meaning that the drawstrings are the way you like the, the tassels are the way you like, that the strap is well sewn on the bag). Clear pictures allow you not only to choose the design you like, it also allows you to check for quality. Even something as simple as checking that the strap matches the color of the bag because the straps are made separately from the bag and are usually made by different person. These are all important factors to look for in the pictures you receive. I have quite a lot of clients that are Colombian or that have a Colombian partner and are living abroad and they buy from me because they can shop directly on the website on their own terms, on their own time. They can add products to their cart, check the price and they know that the price offered for them is a price offer for everyone else. Not to mention the quick and easy checkout process. But beyond that, they know that they know that they will always get a great standard of quality. Recently, I was really delighted to hear from a Polish customer that she had ordered from several wholesale Wayuu providers and that I was by far the best quality value of all the providers she was testing. For me, that's a real treat to hear because I personally travel to La Guajira, hand pick all the bags myself and I also work with over 60 artisans to get Lombia designs. I'm very picky for you guys so it's very rewarding to hear that. 3. Compare shipping methods Different wholesale providers will offer different shipping options. A. Economy which takes anywhere from 20 to 40 business days. Keep in mind that that it's business days so 40 business days actually takes that a package can take up to 2 months to reach you. B. EMS which takes 15 to 25 business days. C. And faster shipping options such as FedEx, UPS, DHL which takes about 2 to 6 business days. You might think that because they take a fraction of the time to arrive that they are more expensive. But you'd be surprised to hear that they are probably the same price if not a little bit cheaper. The reason for this is that in order for sellers to ship through these faster shipping companies, they need a business account and meet a certain level of quota. If they are able to meet this quota, then they get better and better prices. As a result, you're able to get your order in a fraction of the time and at a great rate! And I don't know about you, but when I place an order online I like to receive my order right away. I get really excited to receive my orders in the mail. So it's a bummer that you have to wait so long. 4. Keep an eye out for hidden fees Hidden fees come in the form of PayPal fees, credit card fees, or if you're paying through a third party such as MoneyGram or Western Union, these also have fees. If you pay through PayPal or credit card, it's very common for a wholesale Wayuu provider to charge you the PayPal or the credit card commission on top of the cost of the bags and shipping. This could be approximately anywhere from 5 to 7%, although I'm not sure about the exact commissions for Western Union or MoneyGram. If Im not mistaken, they take a percentage based on the amount that you're wiring. 5. Buy from a local company Meaning the company actually ships from Colombia. I say this because Wayuu bags are very hot item and a lot of tourist come to Colombia, fall in love with this beautiful and colorful product, taking home a couple of suitcases back home to later open up an online store. If you contact these companies asking for a quote, you will find they have very high wholesale Wayuu bag prices. That's because they have higher operational costs. In the case that they've made contact with some sort of local from La Guajira, and are shipping bags, they also have the cost of shipping and taxes depending on their country. As a result, not only will you be offered a higher wholesale price, I would feel that as someone who hasn't been as exposed to Wayuu products and culture, maybe they'd have a harder time scouting for quality Wayuu bags and as they are far away they can't check for quality as easily. So they just received what they get. Buying from a company located in Colombia will ensure you not only get better prices, but that the person that you're buying from can check and demand quality Wayuu bags. So that’s it! I hope this information was helpful and that this will help you choose the right wholesale Wayuu bags provider,. The price of the bag should not be the determining factor. There should be other things to take into consideration before choosing to work with any wholesale Wayuu bags provider. Learn how to tell the difference between 2T and 1T Wayuu bags And of course, I myself so wholesale Wayuu bags so if you’re interested feel free to drop me a message and inquire about wholesale prices!