These vibrant and intricately woven bags are works of art that deserve the utmost care and attention to maintain their beauty and longevity. In this ultimate guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps of cleaning and washing a Wayuu bag to ensure it stays in pristine condition for years to come, and we'll show you just how easy it is to upkeep these treasures. 1. Handle with Care Before diving into the cleaning process, it's crucial to handle your Wayuu bag with care. Even though these bags are handcrafted to last, avoid pulling on threads and cutting knots which could undo the crochet of the bag. 2. Spot Cleaning a Wayuu Bag Surface clean when necessary, aka when you see a visible stain. Use a soft moist cloth and a little soap to gently remove any surface debris. Pay special attention to the intricate weave and patterns, making sure to clean between the yarns to maintain their vibrancy. 3. Hand Wash The safest method for washing a Wayuu bag is by hand. Fill a basin or sink with cold water and add a small amount of mild detergent. Gently agitate the water to create suds, then immerse your bag in the solution. Use your hands to gently massage the detergent into the fabric, paying attention to any areas with stains. 4. Gentle Rinsing a Wayuu Bag After cleaning the bag, rinse it thoroughly with cold water to remove any soap residue. Avoid wringing or twisting the bag, as this can distort its shape or cause the yarn to stretch. Instead, gently squeeze the excess water out of the bag and pat it dry with a clean towel. 5. Air Dry Once rinsed, lay your Wayuu bag flat or hang to air dry. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight, as this can cause the colors to fade or the yarn to weaken. Allow the bag to dry completely before storing it away to avoid musty smells 6. Lombia Bag Shape Maintenance To preserve the shape of your Lombia Wayuu bag, do not leave it hanging with heavy things inside. This will help maintain its structure and prevent stretching. 7. Pre-Washing Steps When it comes to machine washing a Wayuu bag, do proceed with caution! These bags are handcrafted using dyed yarns that can bleed or fade if not properly cared for. Before washing your bag, Flip the bag, inside out and place the tassels and strap inside. If you have a bag for delicates, feel free to use it! 8. Delicate Machine Washing a Wayuu Bag Once you've prepped you Wayuu bag, place it on a short 15-minute delicate cycle with mild detergent and cold water. **4 Easy Steps to Machine Wash Your Wayuu Bag** Cleaning and washing a Wayuu bag should not be complicated! By following these essential tips and precautions, you can ensure that your Wayuu bag remains a cherished accessory for years to come, maintaining its beauty and preserving its cultural significance. So, treat your Wayuu bag with the care and respect it deserves, and enjoy its vibrant beauty!

Originally, I promoted hand washing your Wayuu bags, but in the past 2 years I started machine washing and wanted to show you how you could do the same without damaging your Wayuu bag. Not to mention, this has become particularly important during these times. There is a bit of a trick to it, so be sure to watch the video and let me know if you have any questions! VIDEO TRANSCRIPT In this video I will show you how to wash your Wayuu bag in 4 easy steps. 1. Spot Treat Your Wayuu Bag The first thing I like to do is to spot treat any stubborn stains with a little bit of soap. I rinse and repeat and they should help the stain wash right out in the washing machine. 2. Protect the Strap and Tassels To protect the Wayuu bag from getting damaged, I place the Wayuu bag tassels and straps inside the bag before placing it in the wash to make sure it will stay in perfect condition. I also like to pull the base of the bag down and fold it in half as I feel it helps get a better wash in the machine. 3. Machine Wash On a Short Cycle Here you're going to want to wash the Wayuu bag on its own and put it on the quickest cycle. So in my case it would be the 15-minute cycle. 4. Hang Your Wayuu Bag to Dry Once that's done, hang your Wayuu bag to dry and voila! You have a perfectly clean Wayuu bag ready to be used again. If you don’t have a short cycle on your machine, I do recommend you hand wash your Wayuu bag as tassels and drawstrings get easily get damaged. Check out my tutorial of how to hand wash your Wayuu bag here!

Today I wanted to show you a few tips and tricks of how to keep your Wayuu bag looking like new. Depending on the type of strap you have, it might stretch out over time. I will also show you how to keep your tassels looking fresh and what to do in case your bag pills and how to go about washing it. So here are my tips and tricks to apply right at home!  Shorten Your Wayuu Strap The first thing I wanted to show you is how to shorten a Wayuu bag strap. If you have a bag with a paleteado strap, it will not stretch. So the one we will be focusing on today is the stretchy strap. Once you have the right size yarn, all you need to do is undo the stitching being careful not to cut the bag nor the strap. I do recommend that you watch the full tutorial below. Remove Pilling From Your Wayuu Bag Now I want to show you how to keep your bag looking fresh. If you love wearing your Wayuu bag or it rubs a lot against you, it can pill over time. This can easily be fixed with a defuzzer machine. This is one of the best things I own honestly. I use it on Wayuu bags, on my coats, on my pillows, even on my sofa. I get quite addicted to this as it just makes everything look brand new again. As the bag is quite soft, I put my hand underneath and rub the machine in small circular motions. This will clean all the fuzz right up and remove any pilling you might have and make it like new right away. Keep Tassels in Tip Top Shape Something else you can do to keep your Wayuu bag looking new is by taking care of the tassels. With time, a few strings might come out of the tassels, or perhaps the tassel is too long and you would like to shorten it. The first thing I would do is get a small comb and brush the tassels like you would a doll's hair. What this does is essentially straighten out the tassel and pull out loose yarns so you can see exactly where you need to cut. Next, I make a circle using my index and thumb and place the tassel tightly in between. I like to leave about a centimeter to a centimeter and a half between the base of the head of the tassel and my pinky. Here, I can easily see all of the threads that are sticking out. This is like cutting hair, you don't want to cut too much because then you're going to end up a short tassel that will not grow back! So you have to be careful with how much you cut. It's better to start small and keep going if you want a shorter pair of tassel. Once I cut, I shake the tassel to see if any loose threads still remain, and give it one last trim. Wash Your Wayuu Bag I know I previously said I only hand wash Wayuu bags, but I've actually quite gotten the hang of machine wash under a certain setting! What I like to do first is to stain treat by putting a bit of liquid detergent on the stain and rubbing it in. Then I let it sit. If the Wayuu bags are really dirty I will let them pre-soak. I usually only machine wash Wayuu bags with woven or braided drawstrings. If you have a drawstring that is twisted, I will recommend tying them safely with a hair tie or whatever you have available. Next, I like to put the strap, the drawstring and the tassels all inside the bag and fold it in half so all the delicate parts of the Wayuu bag are protected. I choose the softest setting which is a quick wash that lasts only 15 minutes on a cold setting. When's the cycle is over, I let them air-dry for a couple of days. I hope you enjoyed these tips and tricks on how to to keep your Wayuu bag looking brand new. If you like the video, be sure to give it a thumbs up and I will see you next time!

I am going to show you how to shorten a Wayuu bag strap. If you have a bag with this type of strap (woven), over time it can stretch, especially if you like to take it everywhere and fill it to the top. If you have a bag with the paleteado type of strap, it will not stretch so there is no need to shorten it (unless you want to of course). The one we will be focusing on today is the stretchy Wayuu strap. The first thing you need is yarn. You can use thread that is not too thin and not too thick. This one that I have in the video is the same color as the bag but I am going to show you why it doesn't have to be the exact same color as you will not see the string once it is sewn into the bag. As long as the color is similar, you are good to go! And of course, you'll need a needle. You need a relatively large and thick one to go through the fabric. So, let's begin! The first thing I did was loop the yarn through the needle and place a knot at the end. Next, I am going to undo the strap, being careful not to cut nor the bag nor the strap. Remove the cut thread. As for further instructions on how to sew, it's important that you watch the video as it's a tad bit difficult to explain in writing. However, if you have any questions, be sure to let me know!

If you've already received your Wayuu bag and are looking for ways to get creative on how you can wear it, if you own a Wayuu bag with a paleteada strap, here are the four ways you can wear it.

In order to clean your Wayuu bag appropriately, the first thing you should know is the type of fabric it is made with. I must say that I have seen some sellers claim their Wayuu bags were made of natural fibers and cotton. This is a common misconception and unlike popular belief, no Wayuu bag is made of natural fibers or cotton. After a little bit of investigation, I found out that all original Wayuu bags produced in the region of La Guajira are made from threads of 2 or 3 big thread companies. The threads sold to make Wayuu bags are acrylic, a synthetic fiber synthetic. Although, it doesn't sound sexy or exotic, it's a much better option than natural fiber. Learn how to tell the difference between 2T and 1T Wayuu bags Synthetic fiber is more water repellent and holds color better than natural fibers. Not to mention, it has great durability. If Wayuu bags were made of cotton, they would lose their shape quicker and the color would fade after very quickly.  How to care for your Wayuu bag So the first thing that I always suggest is to spot clean. Or if it needs a general wash to hand wash it. I've previously tried to machine wash a Wayuu bags and sometimes the tassels or the drawstrings would get damaged. Learning from my mistakes, I just rather not risk it as it's such a carefully crafted handmade item and just wash it by hand. If you have a little bit of dirt on the bag it's very easy to wash off as the bag is acrylic and it doesn't soak up the stain as much as a natural fiber like cotton or wool would. Take the spot where you have a little bit of dirt and dampen it with water. You don't have to put a lot of soap. A little bit goes a long way. I personally like to wear gloves to get a better scrub and work in a nice lather. You don't have to scrub too much so as to not damage the fabric and again, as this is acrylic the stain should wash off quite quickly easily. Rinse off the soap and hang your bag to dry. In Bogota this usually takes one to two days. Grooming a Wayuu bag Once the bag is dry you might want to groom it a little bit, so here I have a pair of scissors and my dog's brush but you can grab any regular comb which would work just as well. What I do in terms of grooming happens more in the tassel area. I'll brush them to straighten out the threads and I'll check that all the strings are in place. If there is a string that is poking out or that needs trimming DO NOT trim in a straight line. Instead, place the entire tassel in your fist and let the ends come out between your thumb and index. Squeeze tight and trim away the excess threads. If you would like to make your tassel shorter what you would do is estimate more or less how short you would like it and place your thumb and index an inch lower than how short you would really want it. Trimming the tassels of a Wayuu bag is like a haircut: the threads lift and fluff up making the tassel look shorter. I like to remove one centimeter at a time so as to not overdo it because unfortunately, unlike hair, tassels don't grow back!