With a history and culture influenced by different countries, Haiti boasts a vibrant artistic scene and a rich creative heritage. We work with Haitian craftspeople with unique skillsets to build capacity and create social impact.

Hat-making

Hat-making is a traditional craft in Haiti, where women in different rural areas are specialised in unique weaving styles, using three types of fibre: palm, coconut and reeds.

Our hub in Haiti sources handmade hats from a network of women weavers from rural villages, from where they are brought to Port-au-Prince for blocking and finishing.

Artisans in Haiti have received training and mentoring from expert hat weavers, from Equador’s Montecristi community (home of the famous panama hats) and top hat blockers from New York.

Jewellery

Horn carving, beadwork, and papier-mâché are some of the skills that our talented networks in Haiti possess. See some of the collections below.

The Ethical Fashion Initiative has worked in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake, and in 2014 the project received a 4-year grant from USAID. In Haiti, the project hub is Design. Organization. Training, a social enterprise located in Port-au-Prince’s Tabarre area.