Hand-painted Paper Mache Bell Ornaments - Fair Trade
These beautiful bell ornaments are handmade with the art of paper mache. Each has been hand-painted with a floral motif.
This is a Fair Trade product handmade by artisans in the Kashmir region of India. This is a land of little opportunity since it is a disputed area between Pakistan and India. The artisans used to depend on selling their crafts to tourists. However, recent times of turmoil and terrorism has made this a less than desirable tourist destination, putting the artisan’s livelihood at risk. Thanks to fair trade the artisans are again able to support themselves and their families.
The artisan group that makes these fair trade ornaments is located in the city of Srinagar, Kashmir, in the Himalayan valleys of northern India. Joo Handicrafts is a small group that specializes in making paper mache products out of recycled newspaper pieces mixed with glue. This mixture is then crafted into different shapes and forms. The paper mache forms are then hand-painted. Due to this increased violence at the Indian-Pakistan border, this region struggles with access to markets and a decline in tourism.
Thanks to Fair Trade, these artisans now have access to new markets to sell their artistic products for a fair price and are able to live better lives. Thank you for supporting these artisans!
