Uncommon threads. The tones and textures of tradition.

Using waste pieces of brass sheets from factory production, artisans in Moradabad, India, craft this miniature lantern ornament. The brass is embossed with ornamental designs, and accented with tiny panes of red glass.

Uncommon threads. The tones and textures of tradition.

Adorned with traditional “kolka” motifs, this ceramic nativity is finished with a gold and white wash. Kolka is a traditional folk motif that is well known in Bangladesh and India's West Bengal region.

Uncommon threads. The tones and textures of tradition.

Artisans of Tara Projects in New Delhi handcraft this exquisite holiday vase. The classic form is adorned with delicate etching of damask motifs.

Uncommon threads. The tones and textures of tradition.

Featuring interlinked coils of brass wire, these earrings are handcrafted by artisans of Trinity Jewelry in Nairobi. This small fair trade business provides invaluable work for jewelry artisans in a marginal neighborhood.

Uncommon threads. The tones and textures of tradition.

Hand-carved in soapstone by Vietnamese artisans, these bookends are created in the form of mudras, classical hand gestures of Eastern culture. Often used in meditation or dance, mudras are symbolic gestures seen as an external expression of inner resolve.