All of our clergy stoles are handmade using fabrics from various parts of West Africa.
Green: Our green stole is a highly polished cotton called bazin from West Africa. The motif is a combination of triangles and steps. The triangle makes on reflect on the Trinity and the steps on the "Stairway to Heaven" or "Jacob's Ladder."
Red: Our red stole is a highly polished cotton called bazin from West Africa. The pattern on the bazin reminded us the "Lily of the Valley."
White: Our white stole is a highly polished cotton called bazin from West Africa. The pattern on the bazin reminded us of vessels being poured out into others
Blue: Our white stole is a highly polished cotton called bazin from West Africa.
Purple: The purple is a highly polished cotton called bazin from West Africa, an important liturgical color.
Blue & White: These stoles are made from a fabric called mud cloth from Mali. Mud cloth is dyed using fermented mud--a traditional dying technique in many parts of the world but notably in West Africa. Our mud cloth is not mass produced and therefore every piece is different in design. We can guarantee the colors but we cannot guarantee that your stole will look exactly like the one pictured here. In fact, we guarantee that it will not! But that's the beauty of purchasing one of a kind pieces, is it not?
Gold: The gold stole was designed and woven for us by hand by an artisan named Christine in Togo and because of the type of weave the design is more consistent from one piece to the next.
But why do we make clergy stoles? It seems kind of random, doesn't it? Well, one of the co-founders of Threads by Nomad and her husband are both ministers. Because of this, many of their friends are ministers, too. Making stoles was not our original intent or thought, but as many of our clergy friends appreciated our mission, we began getting requests. They make a unique gift for clergy that signals and appreciates diversity while making a difference in the lives of those who contribute to the stoles' production.
We recommend hand washing these pieces with a mild soap, hang to dry, and light iron if needed.
Note on fair trade: Many of our fabrics are sourced from other countries and sold by distributors. In this case, the artist selects and purchases the fabric, and Threads by Nomad pays for the talent and the tools at once. We are therefore not able to verify that all of our fabrics are ethically sourced products. We do assure our clients, however, that all fabrics made specifically for Threads by Nomad adheres to fair trade standards and that our artisans are fairly compensated. For more information on our sourcing practices, read this blog post.
