3.5" tall handmade red baby elephant. Made from sustainable raffia. Madagascar.

Description

Handmade red baby elephant.
Baby elephant measures approximately 3.5" tall to the tip of it's outreached trunk and is about 4" in length.
RED!
Handmade in Madagascar.
As each elephant is individually handmade, sizes or colors could vary slightly from the attached pictures!
This elephant has been handmade by Sabine who lives in a small village not far from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar.  Sabine is a married mother of three who I met after stopping at a road side handicraft stall in her village.  We've worked together now for five years improving and developing products for the western market.  Like many artisans Sabine works from home juggling with work with raising a family.
Dried grasses are used to form the rough shape then dyed raffia is tightly wrapped around the form to further refine the shape.  Raffia is a sustainable fiber that is harvested from the palm tree and is made into innumerable everyday items such as rope, baskets, hats, shoes, and textiles.
Raffia is 100% biodegradable leaving no negative effect on the environment.
Sabine and her family thank you for your purchase!
A little about me - Everything for sale is handpicked my me.  I travel to Africa 2 - 3 times a year to buy
the best quality items available in the marketplace.  This has been my primary occupation for more than 25 years now.  I sell to galleries and stores across the country and also exhibit twice yearly at NYNOW.  I really enjoy my job, I have friendships which date to my first trips, and I get to travel and interact with people who appreciate the culture and workmanship that goes into each item.
I consider myself to have a very fortunate lifestyle.