Lush, terraced rice fields make up a million postcard visions from Bali, but on ground level, it's significant to note that a farmer's hand has planted every single seedling that makes up those breath-taking green scenes. Astungkara Way is on a great mission to keep Bali's ancient farming tradition sown into modern life for generations to come.

Above: Traditional Balinese rice farmer, Pak Ketut, still working at age 82. Photo courtesy Astungkara Way.

With over 17,000 tropical islands to call home, Indonesia is a cultural fascination. From batik to betel nuts and every island culture in between, this region has some of the world's poorest places but so rich with traditions.

Threads of Life work directly with more than 35 artisan groups on islands from Kalimantan to Timor, to help empower and preserve ancient cultures unique to this great archipelago.

IMAGE: The Hinggi is traditionally worn by Sumbanese men with the unique motifs announcing a man’s social status. Photo © Threads of Life.

From a corporate-chasing, career girl in America, to a not-for-profit organisation founder in third world Cambodia, Kate Davis has cultivated everything in her power to inspire fair-trade equality for traditional communities in Cambodia.

Kate's journey is an honest perspective that reminds us that humanity can be achieved with collective unity and kindness. Her story also validates a common though not often practiced affirmation... 'follow your heart…’

We love this story!

Photo by Brandon Hill.

If you’ve been to Bali you will definitely be familiar with the local craftsmanship and beauty of Canang Saris sprinkled all over the island, as daily offerings for the Gods that have been handmade for generations. This traditional connection to Mother Nature and the spiritual world through ceremony with gratitude is the Bali way…

Natural, sustainable and incredible… the artisan team at Make a Scene! in Bali, Indonesia combine traditional craftsmanship with wild imagination to create theatrical designs set to take the world stage, without being wasteful. Meet the talented, local team creating all the magic behind the Island’s larger-than-life scenes…

Image courtesy Juraj Sedlak

Style masters Baba Tree Basket Co. have been preserving the basket-weaving culture of the Gurunsi people in Bolgatanga in Ghana for over 15 years, and remain committed to creating job sustainability with fair and meaningful work opportunities for the community. They work closely with over 250 artisans, each trained by elders with craftsmanship skills handled with honour over generations. We love these baskets and easily rank them into our top ten ‘Slow Made Wonders of the World*.

Photo: The extraordinary Tua Tia baskets designed after the company's namesake, Baba Tree (or Baobab tree).
Muses Isha Napari and Flavia Adongo; Photographer Francis Kokoroko; Styling Bettina McILwraith.

* SHIBUI & Co. 'Slow made wonders of the World' curation is underway. (Click through for details.)

With over 17,000 tropical islands to call home, Indonesia is a cultural fascination. From batik to betel nuts and every island culture in between, this region has some of the world's poorest places but so rich with traditions.

Threads of Life work directly with more than 35 artisan groups on islands from Kalimantan to Timor, to help empower and preserve ancient cultures unique to this great archipelago.

IMAGE: The Hinggi is traditionally worn by Sumbanese men with the unique motifs announcing a man’s social status. Photo © Threads of Life.

From a corporate-chasing, career girl in America, to a not-for-profit organisation founder in third world Cambodia, Kate Davis of Collective Humanity has cultivated everything in her power to inspire fair-trade equality for traditional communities in Cambodia.

Kate's journey is an honest perspective that reminds us that humanity can be achieved with collective unity and kindness.

We love this story!

Photo by Brandon Hill.

If you’ve been to Bali you will be familiar with the local craftsmanship and beauty of Canang Saris sprinkled all over the island, as daily offerings for the Gods that have been handmade for generations. This traditional connection to Mother Nature and the spiritual world through ceremony of gratitude is the Bali way…

Natural, sustainable and incredible… the artisan team at Make a Scene! in Bali combine traditional craftsmanship with wild imagination to create theatrical designs set to take the world stage, without being wasteful. Meet the talented, team creating all the magic behind the Island’s larger-than-life scenes…

Image courtesy Juraj Sedlak

Cusco is tucked far from reach and still hums with precious existence from the ancient world. There is no doubt that the global pandemic has been a great test of survival for modern times. So how are these remote communities surviving right now? We reached out to Sarah Confer, the Director at Threads of Peru.

IMAGE: Melchor stands on the hills surrounding his home in remote Pitukiska. He and his wife do most of the natural dyeing for Threads of Peru. Photo by Eric Mindling.

Woodblock printing in India is an old-world trade that still produces mile after mile of beautiful fabrics that could easily wrap the world!

Jeremy Fritzhand is the founder behind Studio Bagru in Rajasthan. He's been collaborating with these traditional artisans for years and is on a mission to help protect and empower these hard-working communities, so that their ancestral craftsmanship never fades. He takes us through the process of this 4000-year-old tradition… one manual woodblock print at a time.

Photo: Namdev Krishi Farm communal drying space in Bagru, India. Photo by Studio Bagru.

In a remote part of the world is a vibrant and culturally thriving community of textile artisans. Although they inhabit a landscape that is a gentle palette of pastel hues, their handcrafted designs are some of the most colourful in the world. Meet the artisans from Cusco, Peru. This community is so unique and invaluable for world heritage interests and the textile industry, Threads of Peru is doing everything to help preserve this long-standing traditional community.

PHOTO Megan Revell. Artisan weaver Demesia Sinchi Echame partners with Threads of Peru.

Australian fibre artist Tammy Kanat lets colour, shape and mood dictate her fabulous hand-woven pieces.  After 12 years as a jewellery designer, Tammy fell in love with art at the opposite end of the size spectrum and now her wall art has made its way around the world. 

Simon Silaidis is a unique calligraphy artist, taking the traditionally pen and paper art form to the streets. His beautiful flowing works of art adorn abandoned buildings and landscapes in a way which creates harmony between the natural environment, artwork and the viewer.

Zoe Bradley’s hand-sculpted, paper installations are attracting global attention with luxe brands infusing the retail market with her intoxicatingly beautiful paper scapes. 

Amidst the grey, Tom Fruin’s stain glass works bathe their concrete surroundings in luminous colour. 

Ancient tribes, modern times…Village of Paradise is a photographic journey through the remote villages of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. Australian filmmaker and photographer, Sam Thies was invited to join this project team and kindly shares his stories from this unique, cultural travel venture.

Image: Australian photographer and filmmaker Sam Thies on location in remote Oro Province in Papua New Guinea. Image by Cieran Murphy.

New York based brothers Darrell and Oliver Hartman explore the world’s most unfamiliar people, endangered cultures and remarkable places through their photography and film.

Alaskan photographer Nicole Smoot explores the wildest and remotest of places, with a passion for anything out of the ordinary.

Award-winning adventure sport photographer Jody MacDonald explores the planet’s wildest corners for National Geographic, BBC, Patagonia and Red Bull. The one place she won’t be, is following in anyone else’s footsteps.

If a yogi, you may already have some. And if on a spiritual journey, you may be wearing them.

Rudraksha seeds have been treasured by Hindus and Buddhists for centuries and are considered the jewels of the gods. so, although these sacred seeds originated in India, it comes as no surprise that the 'island of the gods'
is a mala-making destination.

Aum rudraksha designs in Bali, have been granted one powerful mission… to restore global peace by sharing rudraksha seeds to the world… one precious mala at a time.

Photo courtesy Aum Rudraksha Designs

Kindness comes in many forms, but for another artisan community in Siem Reap, Cambodia, SAARTI handmade candles are their guiding light and offering to the world as a symbol of hope.

Photo by Kimleng Sang

Her beauty, beyond words. Her history has sailed across the Adriatic Sea since ancient Roman times. Each of her islands are unique, the residential ones dream drops of lifestyle perfection. Dubrovnik is her medieval heart throb. Also a UNESCO World Heritage listed travel fascination that leaves visitors with awe-struck impressions to last a lifetime. Darling Croatia we love you. But your sweetest surprise is your traditional token of love. A little, red, national treasure, the licitar heart.

Photo: Blažeković Gingerbread and Candle Maker Workshop, owner and maker Antonija Ranogajec with her husband.

In the mountainside village of Xiaxi, China, tea is being handpicked by local farmers as it has been since the Song Dynasty, over one thousand years ago. In the 21st century, the tea is making its way to the rest of the world: the only hint as to its history in the richness of its taste.