Handmade Hemp Side Bag - Rainbow
C$19.99
+ taxes based on delivery country
Black & White Trim
A small handwoven hemp side bag in the fibre’s own undyed colour, with a herringbone weave running through it and four outside pockets set two by two — two left plain, two woven in rainbow stripes. It zips across the top and hangs from an adjustable strap, sized for a phone, a passport, a wallet and a small notebook rather than for a day’s shopping. The rainbow here is the one that comes out over the hills when the monsoon rain stops. In Nepali it is indreni, a word that carries the name of Indra, the god of rain and storms — the rainbow read as his bow, set down once the weather has broken. Across the Himalaya it is taken as a good omen, the sign that the rain has passed and the light has come back, and it is a favourite thing for a handloom weaver to put into cloth because seven colours in a row are the plainest way to show what a loom can do. It is natural fibre through and through: hemp and cotton, with no synthetic fibre in the weave. Hemp grows in the Nepali hills without irrigation or pesticide, and the stalk is retted, hand-spun and woven on a handloom — a rough cloth to start with that softens every time you use it and gets stronger, not weaker, when it is wet. The pale colour is the fibre itself, not a bleach. It comes in two trims, and the difference is in the band across the top and the inset running down the strap: one woven in black and white, the other in greens and teals. The rainbow pockets are the same on both. Because the cloth is woven and cut by hand, the stripe placement, the depth of the natural colour and the exact set of the pockets come out a little different every time — yours will not be identical to the photograph, and that is the point. Ships worldwide from our Vancouver store with live carrier rates at checkout.
Every piece is worked individually, so colour, thickness and finish vary a little from one to the next. That variation is a feature of the craft, not a flaw.
Specifications
- Brand
- Danphe Handmades
- Type
- Handmades
- Material
- Handwoven hemp and cotton, undyed hemp ground with dyed cotton stripes. No synthetic fibre in the weave.
- Net weight
- 300 g
- Price
- Black & White TrimC$19.99
- Green TrimC$19.99
- How to use
- Wear it cross-body and set the length with the strap sliders. The zip pocket takes a phone, a passport, a wallet and keys; the four outside pockets take the small things you want without opening the bag.
- Care
- Hand wash cold with a mild soap and air dry in the shade — hemp and cotton both take hot water badly and the dyed stripes are happiest out of direct sun. Do not bleach or tumble dry. The cloth softens and relaxes with every wash, which is the fibre behaving as it should.
Frequently asked questions
What does handmade in Nepal mean here?
Every piece is made by hand from natural wool by artisans in Nepal — felted, shaped and finished individually rather than cut from a roll or moulded. It is ethically sourced.
Why does mine look different from the photograph?
Because each one is worked individually, colour, thickness and finish vary from piece to piece. That variation is a feature of the craft, not a flaw — no two are identical.
How do I care for felted wool?
Spot clean with cold water and a little mild soap and air dry away from direct heat. Hand wash only if it needs more, reshaping while damp. Never tumble dry — heat and agitation shrink felted wool.
Do you ship worldwide?
Yes. We ship worldwide from our Vancouver store, with live carrier rates shown at checkout before you pay. Prices are in Canadian dollars.
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