Vancouverscape, a Vancouver based blog covering travel, tech, and lifestyle

I was recently invited to preview Obakki’s home decor, textiles, jewellery, wall hangings and clothing line, ahead of the holiday shopping season. Owner/founder Treana Peake travels to each region, consults with local artisans and builds sustainable relationships with them.

Obakki originally began as a fashion label with the goal of creating ethically designed ready-to-wear.

Since 2005, Peake has visited both remote villages in Mexico and Ugandan refuge resettlements. Her aim is to preserve and celebrate diverse craft culture from around the globe with sustainability in mind.

Always on the lookout for ethically-sourced, artisan-quality goods, she is equally interested in the people behind the products.

Obakki works with world-class artisans to curate a line of ethical, handcrafted homewares, lifestyle products, skincare and children’s toys, with a firm belief in supporting true artisans while embracing the beauty of slow design and artisanal production — from start to finish.

Their mission is to support and expand partnerships as well as to fund developmental work through the Obakki Foundation (the brand’s philanthropic arm). To date, they have helped over three million Africans gain access to clean water as well as improve their livelihood.

Everything in their ceramic line contains Australian clay, fired using native flora and fauna. Every artisanal piece is one of a kind and would make a fine gift.

Each item has a story to tell and includes a card with the artisan’s name, country of origin, their inspiration behind both their craft and the piece as well as care instructions.

Obakki’s studio showroom is located at 202-261 East Pender Street in Vancouver.

All items are available for purchase online as well.