Oceanic Echoes Earrings

Richly shaded in blues and greens, these delicate, wafer-thin earrings are made from capiz, the thin shell of a marine mollusk. First artisans wash and soak shells. After the shells have dried, they are cut into shapes and edged with metal wire. A finishing coat of varnish completes this labor-intensive process. Before glass windows became available in the Philippines, capiz was used for windows in houses.

Who Made It: SAFFY, Inc. stands for Social Action for Filipino Youth. SAFFY, Inc. markets handmade crafts for many small artisan workshops, and specializes in capiz shell items. Artisans benefit from educational seminars, vocational training, financial and medical assistance. An in-house Product Designer assists artisan groups in the development of new product lines. SAFFY was founded in 1966 by Sr. Juliaan Mullie, a Belgian nun, to create alternative sources of livelihood for impoverished women and youth in marginalized areas of Manila. It expanded to serve communities in need by launching social development programs. SAFFY, Inc. is a member of the WFTO, and is affiliated with Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc., Asia Fair Trade Forum and Philippine Fair Trade Forum. Ten Thousand Villages has purchased a wide variety of capiz ornaments and crafts from SAFFY, Inc. since 1986. SAFFY provides marketing and export services to about 70 artisan workshops. SAFFY provides employment for more than 1,000 people, including 40 workers in its own production unit.

Materials: Capiz, brass

Dimensions: 1” x 2”

Handcrafted in Philippines