Mid-August Update from Ta'na'na Silk

The Brains Behind the Silk: Madagascar Edition

This week we get to meet Mamy Ratsimbazafy and Lalaina Raharindymby, two key members of our team in Madagascar.

Mamy has been the CPALI/SEPALI Madagascar Program Director since February 2007. His favorite part of the job is the discovery of new endemic moth species to add into the program. The biggest challenges Mamy faces are getting enough raw materials to make wild silk products despite price competition and keeping farmers interested in the program when other opportunities for them to earn money arise. When he’s not working with the Malagasy team on Wild Silk projects, he spends time taking care of his garden with his son.

Lalaina has been involved with SEPALI Madagascar since May 2011 as the Female Artisan Coordinator and Accountant. Her favorite part of working with the CPALI/SEPALI community is seeing the success of new products and exchanging knowledge with people at international shows and workshops. Lalaina’s biggest challenge is increasing production capacity while still meeting deadlines and making products of the highest quality. She also enjoys caring for her garden when her SEPALI work is done.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SEPALI MADAGASCAR

Calling All Artists (and everyone else, really!)

Check out our art supplies section! Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, we have Wild Silk and Raffia materials that are sure to unlock your creative side. From multicolored cocoons to ringtail raffia spools to mixed-media scrap packs and more, there's something for everyone, starting at just $2.50! These art supplies are great for artists of all ages- even the littlest hands can make a beautiful Wild Silk and Raffia piece.

FAQ: What's the difference between Wild Silk and normal silk?

Wild Silk is what we call our unique cocoon silk, which is made by sewing hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of whole silkworm cocoons together. Unlike normal silk, our silk is not spun into thread that can be used for making typical fabric. Because of this, our textiles are primarily used for artwork and home decor.

Opening Sale: Just 12 days left

There's less than two weeks left of our opening sale! Don't miss out on up to 50% off on our entire inventory including home decor, accessories, and art supplies. Remember- you only have until August 31 to take advantage of this huge sale!