Beautiful handknitted Susu bags are handmade for Naledi Copenhagen in Colombia by local Wayuu women. Each bag is one-of-a-kind and never to be repeated. Eye-catching, practical and very robust, these bags will become your favourite accessory and an absolute holiday must, whether you are going to the beach or enjoying a city break.
Name: Susu Bee
Featuring authentic Wayuu Kanasu single-thread technique
100% Cotton
Size: 26cm high by 23cm diameter (approximately)
Unlined
Washable at 30 degrees
Ships within 2 business days
More Information about our Susu by Naledi Copenhagen collaboration
Naledi Copenhagen is excited to announce a new collaboration project in Sustainability Collab series. We have teamed up with a Colombian-based fair trade company Susu Accessories to produce a unique collection of hand-knitted bags, called Susu.
The word “susu” comes from the ancient Wayuunaiki language, spoken by the people of Wayuu. The Wayuu (pronounced "Wah-You") people are an indigenous Latin American group living in Colombia and Venezuela. “Susu” refers to the finest handbag a Wayuu woman owns, one that accompanies her to the most important occasions. Literally, Susu can be translated as “one that travels with you”.
The Wayuu live in small settlements, and are organized in matrilineal clans. The Wayuu children carry their mother's last name, making the Wayuu women not only the center of the family but cultural leaders as well. One of the most significant aspects of culture that the Wayuu women practice is the art of weaving Wayuu bags.
This weaving technique is unique and very labour-intensive. Bags are handknitted with a small crochet needle and one thin thread at a time, which allows the patterns to have striking definition. According to the legend, a spider named Walekerü taught the Wayúu women how to knit.
Each Wayuu mother teaches her daughter how to weave and crochet, keeping the tradition as alive and vibrant as ever. To the Wayuu, weaving is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence, and creativity. Each design incorporated into every Susu bag is unique to the weaver, telling her story through the bag's colours, patterns and shapes. Wayuu women work full days while weaving their bags and can take up to a full month to complete one single bag. Today, Wayuu bags has become a means of financial support for the Wayuu people, which enables them to preserve their way of life.
Wayuu weavers have produced a special collection for Naledi Copenhagen. Each bag features unique one-off colours and patterns. No two bags in the collection are the same, which makes each bag truly unique. Each bag is eye-catching, spacious, robust and light, which makes them a perfect companion for all your for summer holidays.
