Fair Trade Décor

Most of our wild olive wood and jacaranda items are hand carved by Akamba, or Kamba, wood carvers who live in the Machakos district of Kenya. African wild olive is a rich, warm wood native to Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The hardy evergreen tree's fruit is foraged by monkeys, birds and grazing animals. Heavy, dense and beautifully grained, wild olive wood carves into durable natural serving pieces that are approved for food safety by the FDA.

In compliance with Kenyan regulations, the Kamba carvers register with cooperatives. The cooperative then applies for necessary legal permits to fell trees. Once permits are in hand, carvers travel into the bush in groups for safety and set up a makeshift camp at the site of the felled tree.
 
Together, the carvers sit down and rough in the basic carving for items on their respective orders. Having a variety of items to work on allows the carvers to better utilize the tree. From large items like wild olive wood salad bowls down to small pieces like earrings, the carvers hew a collection of beautiful shapes from the wood. The carvers return to their homes to finish the carving, sanding and finishing .