Funky Jewellery And Bags
Is Proud To Carry Kazuri Beads
30 Mar 12
Part of the joy of owning a Kazuri necklace or bracelet is found in the unique nature of the hand-crafted beads. No two are exactly alike, and the purchase of each piece funnels back into the good work undertaken by Kenyan artisans. Each authentic Kazuri bead is made using clay sourced from Mt. Kenya. The vibrant ceramic pieces are shaped by hand, glazed, and double-kiln fired.
Named after the Swahili word meaning “small and beautiful,” Kazuri was launched in the mid-1970s by the late Lady Susan Wood, born in a mud hut in Africa in 1918 to English missionaries. Wood was educated in England and returned to Kenya in the late 1940s, working with her husband to begin a coffee plantation. She set up a small bead making business in 1975 in a garden shed. In the late 1980s, Wood opened the Kazuri factory, employing more than 100 people.
Hiring only widows, single mothers, and women living with special needs or disabilities, Kazuri presently employs more than 300 women in Karen, just outside of Nairobi. A member of the Fair Trade Act, the company pays its employees three times the typical African salary and provides benefits, including day care and health care. Kazuri was purchased in 2001 by Mark and Regina Newman. Committed to preserving the company’s mission and increasing its reach, the Newmans help cultivate the unique, prosperous Kazuri bead community. Today, Kazuri beads are available around the globe.
To browse our current Kazuri collection of bold, bright jewellery, click here.
Funky Jewellery and Bags sources unique, colourful, and sustainable accessories from around the world. Our collections echo global trends from London, Paris, Barcelona, Bangkok, and Mumbai. Whenever possible, we hand-pick artisan jewelry, handbags, and purses that are ethically manufactured using quality, sustainable materials, including Oeko-tex cotton, fairtrade silk, and satin woven fabric.
