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Attention All Retailers! Come meet us at the 2017 Toronto Gift Fair

We travel the world, searching for beautiful fashion, jewelry, home décor and beverages of African origin or influence to delight your customers!

We are inspired by the rich artistic and cultural heritage that exists in Africa and other parts of the world, represented by a vast array of artisanal groups creating remarkable works of art, jewelry, food and beverage and home décor items.

 

 

If you are going to Canada's largest gift fair - please stop by and see us. We're located in fabulous "Artisan's Row", Booth #10828.

And if you're not going, you can still register in our contest and preview our gorgeous products in our online Wholesale Catalog.

Retailers can register for a chance to win one of our 6 exciting prizes
by previewing our Wholesale Catalog

$100 Restaurant Gift Card
$50 Chapters/Indigo Gift Card
$25 iTunes Music Card

$30 Moroccan Lantern
$25 Pashmina-Style Shawl
$130 Masaai Hand Beaded Table Décor

 

The impact of globalization, growth of the luxury market and increased consumer interest in environmental sustainability, fair wages and worker conditions, contribute to a significantly burgeoning interest in African art, functional wares and designer goods.

We believe in empowerment - lending a helping hand through increasing the ability of artists, entrepreneurs or students to become self-sustaining and self-managing.

To learn more about Zawadee - Bring Africa Home and our terrific Show Specials, please contact Perri Lumsden. She's our incredibly knowledgeable (and funny) Director of Retail Sales and loves to chat. If you have any questions - she's your girl!

Or, give Brian Geddes a call. Brian's our expert in channel and national accounts. His long term sales and marketing experience make him particularly good at helping you find just the right product mix.

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Welcome - Debbie Noel - Zawadee's Newest Retailer

"I love clothes and I love to shop", says Debbie Noel, Zawadee's newest retailer! 

And her namesake store, Debbie Noel Women's Fashions, is a showcase of Debbie's fashion sense! As she says, her love of shopping is a real asset, as she puts a lot of time into sourcing high quality merchandise for her customers.

Debbie's store is located in the heart of downtown Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Originally a small shop with a large selection of merchandise, the store has recently moved to new, expanded premises, allowing Debbie to widen her offering to include décor items, giftware, crafts and collectables. "People who like nice clothes, also like to purchase nice things for their homes and for their friends". We have to agree, Debbie!

Debbie's customer relationships are of paramount importance to her business.

She says wherever she is, when she encounters something "different", she asks herself "is that something appropriate for the shop?" - or "Would that look good on . . .?".

At Zawadee, we admire and seek out retail partnerships who have these "personal instincts" about their customer relationships. It's exactly the way we think!

Head to Debbie's to see Zawadee... Debbie says these items complement many of the clothes she carries and the quality and prices are terrific. "I am really looking forward to showing these items to my customers".

If you live in Nova Scotia or just happen to be passing through, stop by and see Debbie. We guarantee you'll enjoy the experience!

Debbie Noel - Women's Used & New Fashions
210 Main Street
Liverpool, Nova Scotia
902.350.0483

Connect with Debbie on Facebook

Zawadee is always on the lookout for retailers like Debbie Noel. Retailers who want to present high quality, unique products to their customers.

So, if you sell (or want to sell) beautiful fashion, home décor, jewelry, art & sculpture and home decor - get in touch!

It's easy to get access to our online Wholesale Catalog (and pricing). Just register and we'll send you access credentials. We're not pushy, so take your time to peruse our products at your leisure. We will reach out at some point in case you need anything but don't worry, we aren't pests! It's just not the way we do business. And now for a little comfort!

Find a product isn’t selling in your retail environment? You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months of order date. Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.

That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd! Want to find out more? Give Brian or Perri a shout.

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Symbols Jewellery - Trinidad & Tobago - What A Success!

"Jewellery is a living art" says Seema Persad, Co-Founder of Symbols Jewellery in Trinidad & Tobago.

And Seema's business is thriving in the Caribbean! At Zawadee, we think her success has a lot to do with her tagline - "Speak from the heart". Seema does, and it shows!

Symbols Jewellery sells uniquely handcrafted jewellery that either tells a significant story, or has a deep-rooted history. Seema believes the jewellery story "speaks" to those who wear it. We couldn't agree more!

The Koumama Collection of fine silver Tuareg jewellery is one of Symbol's most successful product lines. 

Seema believes the beauty of Tuareg Fine Silver creates an emotional affinity with her customers as the moving stories of each piece of Tuareg Jewelry are fascinating. The fact that the Koumamas have been perfecting their silversmith art for over 25 generations is astounding and shows in the superb execution and intricate designs of their work.

Zawadee is proud to count Symbols Jewellery as one of their foremost purveyors of fine silver Tuareg designs and wishes Seema and her team the very best success!

At Zawadee, we admire and seek out retail partnerships who have these "personal instincts" about their customer relationships. It's exactly the way we think!

Believe it or not, Seema's MBA Thesis was "Marketing the Emotion of Symbolic Jewellery", so we know she truly appreciates the fascinating symbolism - the mythology - the stories - that surround Tuareg Fine Silver pieces.

If you live in beautiful Trinidad & Tobago, or are just lucky enough to be passing through, give Seema a call. We guarantee you'll enjoy the experience! Shop online for elegant pieces from the Koumama Collection and your orders will be delivered directly to your door. You can also Like Symbols Jewellery on their Facebook page and sign up for newsletter updates for upcoming information about future pop-up shop locations across Trinidad & Tobago.

Symbols Jewellery
email: info@symbolsjewellery.co
website: www.symbolsjewellery.co
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/symbolsjewellery/
phone: 868-798-1372

Zawadee is always on the lookout for retailers like Symbols Jewellery. Retailers who want to present high quality, unique products to their customers.

So, if you sell (or want to sell) beautiful fashion, home décor, jewelry, art & sculpture and home decor - get in touch!

It's easy to get access to our online Wholesale Catalog (and pricing). Just register and we'll send you access credentials. We're not pushy, so take your time to peruse our products at your leisure. We will reach out at some point in case you need anything but don't worry, we aren't pests! It's just not the way we do business. And now for a little comfort!

Find a product isn’t selling in your retail environment? You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months of order date. Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.

That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd! Want to find out more? Give Brian or Perri a shout.

If you aren't in the Trinidad & Tobago area and want to shop for beautiful Tuareg Fine Silver and other beautiful products, please visit https://www.zawadee.com/ 

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Jacob's Treasures - What a Treasure!

Billed on their website as "a magical experience for big kids and children alike", we have to say we've never seen a more interesting and interactive store!

Located in beautiful Hawkesbury, Ontario (on the Ottawa River and the border of Quebec), Jacob's Treasures is simply amazing.

Zawadee is proud to count this astounding store as one of our newest retailers of Zawadee products!

Jacob's Treasures is . . .

  • An art gallery with an exclusive collection of internationally reknowned artists. You will find paintings from artists such as Anne-Marie Bost, Denise Harvey Desroches, Sandy Rourke, Jackie Jones, Andrée Francoeur, Lucille Grenier, Antonio de Thomasis, Randal Robinson, Mary Ellen Legault, and Alain Desrochers.
  • A toy store just chock full of thousands of TY plush toys of all sorts. Different species of animals - in various sizes and colours - from Beanie Babies to Beanie Buddies - from Girlz to Treasure Attics. They have the largest selection in North America!
  • An antique store offering unique objects for every taste and budget. You will find a vast selection of furniture, clocks, glassware, dishes, decorative accessories, pottery, toys, paintings, etc. And here's the amazing part - they have new arrivals every single week.
  • A gift store extraordinaire! You won't fail to find that "perfect gift for that special person". Dolls, books, decorative plates, all sorts of angels, thousands (not kidding, thousands) of candles, bird houses, turtles ducks, cats, birds and on and on and on.
  • A Tea and Coffee House featuring a vast selection of gourmet teas, coffees, accessories, cups, coffee pots, tea sets and dishes.
  • A Specialty Grocery where you will find a lovely selection of gourmet products and confectionaries, bulk candy, exotic chocolates, hard candies and all sorts of treats for special events like Valentine's Day, Christmas, Halloween or (as we like to say) any day you need a treat!

We were simply mesmerized and spent quite a lot of time standing in front of several works of art by Lucille Grenier

Jacob's Treasures stocks our line of exotic Moroccan Lamps, ideal for the upcoming Spring and Summer outdoor living season. Just imagine how nice one of these would look on your patio or in a gazebo.

Whether you're a fiend for Teddy Bears, an art lover, a "coffee hound", an antique aficionado - or are simply interested in unique and entertaining shopping experiences, Jacob's Treasures is the place for you. We could spend days exploring this magical place and never see everything!

Jacob's Treasures is located in Hawkesbury, Ontario. We highly recommend visiting the area as it is both gorgeous and interesting. The luxurious Chateau Montebello is not far if you feel like pampering yourself (we highly recommend the experience). Reasonably priced Bed and Breakfasts abound as well.

Whether you live in the Hawkesbury area or just happen to be passing through, drop in and see this "magical store" and say hello. These are just the nicest people and they are always happy to chat and share their "treasures" with everyone. Kid-friendly, no matter what the age!

Jacob's Treasures/Les Trésors de Jacob
329 Main Street East
Hawkesbury, ON K6A 1A7

613.632.5800

Jacob's Treasures on the web
Connect with Jacob's Treasures on Facebook

info@lestresorsdejacob.ca

Zawadee is always on the lookout for retailers like Jacob's Treasures. Retailers who want to present high quality, unique products to their customers.

So, if you sell (or want to sell) beautiful fashion, home décor, jewelry, art & sculpture and home decor - get in touch!

It's easy to get access to our online Wholesale Catalog (and pricing). Just register and we'll send you access credentials. We're not pushy, so take your time to peruse our products at your leisure. We will reach out at some point in case you need anything but don't worry, we aren't pests! It's just not the way we do business. And now for a little comfort!

Find a product isn’t selling in your retail environment? You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months of order date. Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.

That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd! Want to find out more? Give Brian or Perri a shout. 

Read more

Black History Month: Viola Desmond - Canada's Rosa Parks?

We thought you might be interested in a book we've recently read and highly recommend.

Cape Breton University history professor Graham Reynolds has written a book - Viola Desmond's Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land.

Long title - fascinating tale! Basically, Viola was a successful business woman in Halifax. While waiting for her car to be fixed one day, she decided to view a movie. She asked to sit downstairs, as she had poor vision and would see the film more easily from the downstairs area of the theatre.

Little did Viola know that the theatre was racially segregated. The theatre employees explained the circumstances to her but the police were called and Viola was forcibly removed and jailed.

When brought before a magistrate, there wasn't any mention of racial segregation at all. Instead, she was charged with and found guilty of defrauding the province of an amusement tax. This tax represented the difference in the theatre ticket price between seating downstairs and seating upstairs! Can you imagine how Viola felt? That's why we think of her as Canada's Rosa Parks!

We learned some astounding things from this book. We were dismayed to discover that in 1930's Canada, the Ku Klux Klan operated freely. We had no idea!

Viola Desmond was charged so wrongly, so cynically in 1946. She wasn't pardoned until after her death - in 1965.

You can order this interesting book from Chapters/Indigo. If you read it, please share your thoughts with us!

Learn more about Viola's story and other interesting Black History Month topics at Historica Canada: Black History Month.

The Book of Negroes, illustrated edition containing photos, works of art and documents that inspired Lawrence Hill to write his award-winning novel. 

It's time to celebrate Black History Month and honour the contributions people of African descent have made to our cultural heritage. Please join us on our journey to learn more!


If you're searching for that special someone's Valentine's Gift, look no more!
-
Our Have A Heart Valentine's Selection of beautiful jewelry & jewelry boxes at 50% Off 'til February 29th. 5% of all sales benefit charities supporting heart and stroke research.
-
A great chance to find a lovely gift and support worthwhile research!
Orders over $50 receive free shipping within the
continental United States and Canada.

Don't forget to enter our Be Our Valentine Contest
for a chance to win 1 of 4 Prizes
1.9 Carat Aquamarine Gemstone
Heart Shaped Soapstone Jewelry Box
Hand Carved Candlesticks
Handwoven Merino Wool Scarf
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I Wish I Was A Giraffe - or at least could sleep like one!

A giraffe sleeps only about two hours per day. Just imagine how much I could get done.

And they are so loved - the world round. The number of visitors to websites featuring the imminent birth of a baby giraffe is just astounding. And, who can forget the unbelievable response to the baby toy 'Sophie the Giraffe"? It was difficult to get your hands on one! And, how can we forget the ubiquitous TOYSRUS mascot - Geoffrey the Giraffe? My grand-daughter can't get enough of the terrific children's book Giraffe's Can't Dance by Giles Andreae. So you've got the message, right? We (and lots of others) love Giraffes. Moses and his crew of incredible metal artisans create the most realistic animal sculptures you can believe. All from materials like recycled oil drums, scrapped engine parts and discarded cutlery. These beautiful and environmentally sound sculptures come in all sorts of animals and all sorts of sizes. Birds, lions, giraffes, impalas - all suitable for either outdoor (home and garden) or indoor home décor. So, you can "do your bit" for the environment AND make everyone smile by introducing one of our recycled metal animal friends to your home.

Eagle Recycled Steel Sculpture


Now, let's learn some more about Giraffes! At an average height of around 5 m (16-18 ft.), the giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world. Characterized by its long legs, long neck, and distinctive spotted pattern, many people first believed the giraffe was a cross between a leopard and a camel, which is reflected in its scientific name, Giraffa camelopardalis.

 

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How to throw the best tea party ever? Invite a Hyena!

If you want your guests to "tell the story" about the best tea party they ever attended, invite a Hyena to your table.

We've long been fans of Alice in Wonderland and all the fantastical teapots and cups that made their way to The Mad Hatter's Tea Party, so it wasn't a stretch for us to whoop with delight when we spied this.

 

Hand crafted with remarkable skill in The Ardmore Ceramics Studio, this Hyena is an heirloom quality piece that will be in your family for generations to come.
Shop Ardmore

THE ARTISAN

We think the painter of this bespoke ceramic teapot, Fiko Mfphusi has an astounding eye for colour and detail. Since 2002, Fiko has worked on a variety of Ardmore Ceramics, being mentored by Punch Shabalala (a leading Ardmore painter), whose footsteps Fiko aspires to follow. Fiko's work has been shown in every Ardmore exhibition since 2004. And again, what a family affair?! Fiko is one of three sisters who work together in the painting studio! We think Fiko's
painting is a beautiful contribution to this lovely piece.
 

MADE BY HAND

Often inspired by wildlife, Ardmore Ceramics have been exhibited in leading galleries and collections around the world, including The Museum of Art & Design in New York and The Museum of Cultures in Basel (Switzerland). Ardmore's modern art style breaks ceramic conventions, using techniques resulting from years of experimentation with materials and processes. The vibrant colours and enormous attention to detail are simply superb. If you are an aficionado of ceramics or of unique artworks, take the time to explore our Ardmore Collection. We guarantee it will produce a smile! Learn more about Ardmore Ceramics and their talented artisans - watch this short video.
Ardmore Ceramics have been featured in a wide variety of publications including House & Leisure, Garden & Home, Condé Nast House & Garden, Living, Art Times, Country Life, Sunday Times Style, Elle Decor, Oprah's O and Wallpaper Magazine (just to name a few).

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AFRICAN HYENAS 

Sadly depicted as scavengers, hyenas are actually skillful hunters. Hyenas are widespread and found in most habitats. Spotted hyenas are found in all habitats, including savannas, grasslands, woodlands, forest edges, subdeserts, and even mountains up to 13,000 ft. As human populations expand and growth of agriculture, settlements, and roads results, wildlife is losing space in which it was previously able to roam freely.

 

Hyena's traditionally get a bad rap! Visit Mental Floss to learn. 

12 Wild Facts About Hyenas
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Go Ahead - We Dare You - Monkey Around!

How many times (as a child) did you hear "Quit monkeying around"?

Well, now we're telling you we think you should! The holidays are coming up fast and we can think of no better way to present your lovely holiday culinary creations than on our beautiful one-of-a-kind

We guarantee this platter will be a conversation starter at your holiday table!

The artisans at Ardmore create extraordinary fine ceramics - from platters to teapots - butter dishes to candlesticks - and more.

Styled in an exuberant, exotic (even, may we say, whimsical style), the ceramics produced by this remarkable atelier are superb examples of design and craftsmanship.

Hand crafted with remarkable skill in The Ardmore Ceramics Studio, this  is an heirloom quality piece that will be in your family for generations to come.

THE ARTISANS

Kenneth Nkosinathi Msomi is the thrower/sculptor of this remarkable piece. Nkosinathi means "God is with us". Kenneth Nkosinathi certainly shows a marked spirituality in the beautiful ceramics he produces in the Ardmore studios and particularly enjoys making trays and platters featuring African wildlife. Kenneth's works have been exhibited internationally and are collected worldwide.

The painter of this extraordinary platter is Mthulisi Ncube. Mthulisi trained at the Mzilikazi Art Centre and worked as an artist, selling his oil on canvas paintings. Mthulisi's work has exhibited at the "Just So Crocodile and Other Curiosity" in Hyde Park (Johannesburg) and at "Safari Week" at the prestigious Patrick Mavros gallery (London).

MADE BY HAND

Often inspired by wildlife, Ardmore Ceramics have been exhibited in leading galleries and collections around the world, including The Museum of Art & Design in New York and The Museum of Cultures in Basel (Switzerland).

Ardmore's modern art style breaks ceramic conventions, using techniques resulting from years of experimentation with materials and processes. The vibrant colours and enormous attention to detail are simply superb.

If you are an aficionado of ceramics or of unique artworks, take the time to explore our.  We guarantee it will produce a smile!

Learn more about Ardmore Ceramics and their talented artisans - watch this short video https://youtu.be/k34KmmuFkfI. Ardmore Ceramics have been featured in a wide variety of publications including House & Leisure, Garden & Home, Condé Nast House & Garden.

MANDRILLS

Mandrills are the largest of all monkeys. Shy and reclusive, they live only in the rain forests in equatorial Africa. Extremely colourful, they can easily be recognized by their red and blue facial skin and their brightly coloured bottoms! When mandrills get excited, their colours become brighter.

Mandrills eat fruit and roots, insects, reptiles and some amphibians. They can store food in their cheek pouches. Mandrills sleep in trees and live in troops headed by a dominant male. Often hunted as bushmeat, mandrills are sadly threatened at this time. Human contact and a spread of agriculture has shrunk their rain forest environment.

Please remember that Zawadee contributes 2% of the profit of all wildlife related species to charities supportive of endangered or vulnerable animals.

Watch this terrific National Geographic Video entitled (we kid you not!) - Enjoy!

If you are a retailer, it couldn't be easier to get access to our online Wholesale Catalog (and pricing). and we'll send you access credentials. We're not pushy, so take your time to peruse our products at your leisure.

Find a product isn’t selling in your retail environment? You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months of order date. Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.

That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd!!

Read more

Want a New Look for Fall? Decorate with Accessories!

Decorating with accessories is a terrific way to give your home a little lift - without breaking the bank!

Any designer will tell you that art, throw pillows and blankets can have a considerable influence. The trick is knowing how to use them.

First and foremost, choose quality items. While mass-produced items are plentiful and inexpensive, they aren't really what you want to surround yourself with. One or two quality pieces are far better than a vast array of run-of-the-mill pieces easily found in your local discount décor store.

Quality home décor accessories will also stand the test of time far better than mass-produced items of inferior manufacture....Look for unique pieces. You're unique - reflect that in your personal environment! 

Consider the size of the space very carefully. Your décor accessories need to be proportionate to the room. A tiny rug in a huge room will look ridiculous. Or, for that matter, a huge painting in a tiny room will overpower the space. Scale and proportion of objects to the space they occupy is a basic tenet of good décor.

Don't get too "matchy matchy". Seek balance but remember asymetrical placements are very attractive as well. Rather than flanking something with the same number of pieces on each side, try a less "equal" approach to arrangement. A good rule of thumb is to group smaller items in threes or fives.

Consider a small asymetrical grouping of soapstone wildlife carvings. This introduces the natural world in a fun, funky and inexpensive way. This group of will give you an idea.

Place larger décor items into your space first. Then live with them for a few days to just get the feel of the room. Then layer in some medium size pieces and a few small accents (depending on the size of the room). Be careful not to over-decorate. Stuffing things into every corner will make your room look cluttered and busy. Certainly not restful!

To get those pops of colour, restrain yourself to smaller décor pieces. Bright, strong colours can be overwhelming if too large. When selecting larger pieces (like furniture, lighting, etc.) try to stick to more neutral (peaceful) colours and use pillows, candlesticks, ceramics, pictures, etc. to provide the colour in the room.

The nice thing about introducing bright, strong colours with smaller pieces is that smaller pieces tend to be less of an investment, therefore you can "change them up", either seasonally or, heck, just when the mood takes you.

Don't forget the kitchen and dining room!

We often don't stop to consider the use of décor accessories in our kitchens and dining areas as much as in living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms, etc. 

Open up your mind to items you might not consider to be "décor. Books and magazines, baskets and bins. Natural things like grasses, pine cones, seashells or beach stones. All these items, when combines with a few quality pieces can boost your room's ambience. For example, a few can make a relatively inexpensive (yet lovely) display. 

Remember that your outdoor spaces need a change-up from time to time as well. The same tips apply. A nicely placed item for a very reasonable price,  goes a long way to sprucing up an outdoor (or indoor) space. 

Fuel your imagination!

Shop all our Home & Life departments for terrific home décor ideas. And here's your biggest and most valuable tip if you're a retailer!

Help your customers make the most of their décor budget by offering them fun, delightful, unique décor items that will lift their spirits. At prices that will lift your spirits!

If you don't have the time to register for wholesale access, just call us at ...
1.844.677.7780
We'll make an appointment to come out to see you to show you some of our high quality products and terrific wholesale prices.
--

Take 5% off your first order
with discount code

Enter FIRSTFIVE at checkout to get 5% off your entire order.

Password = welcome

 

You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months.
Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.
That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd!

To get your own (full blown!) wholesale catalog account with order capability, You can peruse our terrific products and wholesale prices at your leisure!

 

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A Tale of Two Slippers

Whether you call them slippers or house shoes, there is just no denying we have an attachment to the warmth and comfort they deliver.

Especially when the days get shorter and the evenings get colder! In fact, I have "seasonal" slippers to suit the temperature all year round.

The word "slippers" comes, of course, from the verb "to slip". As in - slip on your feet. Most think slippers originated in the East but it turns out that almost every culture has had a form of comfy foot gear to wear around the house.

The earliest recorded reference to a slipper was in the 12th Century - in Vietnam a Song Dynasty Officer described two different types of slippers with thongs between the toes. The earliest reference to slippers in the West was about 1478.

Slippers were an important feature of harems. Slippers were worn indoors to protect the expensive Persian rugs. As well, a concubine would not get far outside if she chose to escape as her slippers would have been insufficient for outdoor use on slippery rocks and hard roads.

The Japanese consider slippers to be a social obligation when entering a home. One must shed one's outdoor shoes and don a pair of slippers for indoors as a sign of respect for the home and for tradition. To assist Westerners, who weren't used to this tradition, slipper covers that could be pulled over shoes were invented.

Our Zooties for Cuties are a fun and funky collection of slippers crafted by hand from felt, using locally sourced sheep's wool.

Zooties Footwear guarantees lots of laughter and fun for everyone. Delight your children or grandchildren with their choice of "foot friendly" animal or indulge your "young heart" with a pair of adult-sized comfy slippers.

These are just the most whimsical and delightful slippers we've ever seen. Which is why we call them "Zooties Cuties"!

Soft, yet sturdy, adorable animal footwear includes a wide range of "foot friends" to pick from. Whales and sharks, penguins and peacocks, ladybugs, raccoons, giraffes, bunnies and many more! There's a Zootie to suit every imagination.

Slippers have a long history and there are many tales associated with them. For example, Cinderella didn't actually lose a glass slipper. In fact, there are hundreds of variations of this popular story. In fact, the slipper was likely meant to be gold or silver, sometimes jeweled as well. The story of the "glass" slipper was an error in translation.

Until fairly recently, those who were granted an audience with the Pope were expected to kiss one of his red Papal Slippers. 

MEET THE ARTISANS

Silk Road Bazaar is a representative of marginalized artist groups located in Kyrgyzstan and throughout Central Asia. They connect with artists who are far from the capitals, who have limited market access, or who do not possess modern marketable skills but have carried on traditional craft culture.

 

 

Following the proverb, ‘the best way to know a man is to walk a thousand miles in his shoes,’ Silk Road believes that to know who we are working with and to understand their lives, we ourselves need to live like and with them. They live amongst their artist groups for an extended period of time, and during that time they help them become self-sustainable by developing their designs, management techniques, quality control and computer skills.

All designs and collaborations are original works of Central Asian artists and Silk Road Bazaar brought to you by Zawadee!

And here's your biggest and most valuable tip if you're a retailer!

Help your customers make the most of their holiday budget by offering them fun, delightful, unique slippers that will suit the entire family. At prices that will make you smile!

If you don't have the time to register for wholesale access, just call us at ...

1.844.677.7780

We'll make an appointment to come out to see you to show you some of our high quality products and terrific wholesale prices.

You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months.
Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.
That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd!
Read more

Time to Spruce Up for Fall? It's Just Natural!

Fall is nature's second "rejuvenating period". Just like Spring, in the fall our thoughts naturally turn to refreshing, cleaning, sprucing things up.

And there's a psychological history behind this instinct! In our prehistory, it was natural to make sure that everything was safe and in order before cold weather set in. Our intimate connection with nature dictates our behaviour!

We use the design of spaces and objects we place in our environment to communicate who we are and how we feel.

We "read" someone's environment as a quick assessment of who they are. This contributes to the urge to clean and refresh that comes over us in the autumn months.

Here are some tips to think of when the "fall bug" grabs you!

  • When making decisions about what to use to freshen up your environment, keep in mind what gives you joy. Look for accents and artwork that lift your spirits and make you smile.
  • Fall is a great time for reflection - meditation. So think about creating spaces that stimulate thought and create a sense of peace - or whimsy - or joy - or all of those things!
  • Many of us experience a sense of renewal accompanied by a boost of energy in the autumn season. This means your heightened sense of alertness should help you to connect to your preferences, desires, etc. A good time to make choices about your surroundings!
  • You don't need to make a slew of additions or changes. Just one item that delights you is enough to stimulate positive thoughts!

Help your customers make the most of the fall season by offering them fun, delightful, unique outdoor décor items that will lift their spirits. At prices that will lift your spirits! 

If you don't have the time to register for wholesale access, just call us at ...

1.844.677.7780

We'll make an appointment to come out to see you to show you some of our high quality products and terrific wholesale prices.

 

You can swap it for product of equal value at any time within six months.
Hassle-free help to find the right products for your retail environment.
That's how we make our wholesale business stand out from the crowd!

Take 20% off your End of Season Sale order
with discount code

ENDSEASON20

Enter ENDSEASON20 at checkout to get 20% off your entire order.

  

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Seven Thousand Years of Skill-Building? A Brief History of Tuareg Silver Jewelry

The Tuareg silversmiths of Azel are a group of African artisans who truly excel at the creation of exquisite fine silver jewelry and leather artifacts. Tuareg history goes back 7 thousand years. There are 21 styles attributed to this Cross Of Agadez, aka The Southern Cross.

As a result, Tuareg fine silver jewelry is full of symbols that express the history and lore of this fascinating group of people. Their techniques and designs truly reflect this long period of skill development and mastery of the art of crafting beautiful and dramatic silver jewelry.

The design of each piece conveys a "message" - either symbolic, mystical, astronomical or something that illustrates the practicalities of life. The Amazigh alphabet (Tifanagh) is often incorporated into the symbolic designs of Tuareg fine silver jewelry.

For centuries, the Tuareg people have maintained their distinct identity quite separately from the cultures that surround them to the north and south. In fact, the Tuareg don't even call themselves "Tuareg". The word probably is of Arabic origin - meaning "those who abandoned god" and was likely given to them as a result of their initial refusal to adopt the Islamic life and religion, as they adhered to the Berber mythology. During the medieval period, the Tuareg adopted Islam after its arrival in the 7th century and helped spread Islam and its legacy in North Africa!

In fact, the Tuareg call themselves a variation of the root word "iwagh" - meaning "he is free". The variations are dependent upon where the Tuareg group is located - generally Algeria, Mali or Niger. Tuareg society is quite matriarchal. Women own the family tent and contents and aristocratic status or hierarchy is passed through matrilinear descent. Women participate in all community decisions. The role of an artisan is highly respected by the Tuareg. We say thank goodness, as this attitude has fostered a climate in which this beautiful jewelry germinated and grew over eons of time.  

Azel Collection Silver Jewelry
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