The artisans are at the core of our business.
Each product has its own story. Much of that story comes from the people that make them. Here is a small part of our artisans stories.
Rossy Ruano
Rossy was born in 1982 in the small town of Almaguer, located in the middle of the Andes Mountain Range of the Department of Cauca, Colombia. (one of the most violent in recent years). Due to the lack of opportunities, in 2011 she decided to move to Cali. Since her arrival to the Mortiñal neighborhood, Rossy has worked as a housekeeper, while acquiring knowledge and skills in the art of handcrafting leather goods. This has allowed here to create a second source of income for her and her family.
José Ruano
Like Rossy, José was born in Almaguer in 1980. He moved sometime before her sister to Cali, Colombia, in search of a better future for him and his family. In 2010, he arrived at the Mortiñal neighborhood and helped Rossy to settle close to him one year later. José has one son, who is currently in eighth grade at the local public school. Today, his main source of income comes from working in the construction industry. Like his sister Rossy, José learned how to work with leather as a second source of income for him and his family.
