Magda Made

The Makers Series / Profile

Magda Made works with artisans across 13 regions in Colombia to create ethically made, cultural goods. Guided by principles of fair wages, safe working conditions, transparency, and sustainability, they ensure artisans set their own prices and receive upfront payment. Their approach prioritizes preserving traditional craftsmanship while providing economic opportunities and reinvesting profits into local communities. The brand takes a “slow approach with small batches, minimal waste, and long lead times.” 95% of the artisans they work with are women.

By curating high-quality, locally-made products, Magda Made seeks to empower both artisans and customers to make a lasting impact.

Magda Made Website

Product photos by Cristina de la Concha

Process photos by Avia Artesano

Can you tell us the story behind Magda Made?

For a few years after college, we travelled together through Asia, India, and Central America, and we always daydreamed about how to make travel and cultural exploration more than a hobby. Over the years, our adventures brought us immense happiness and significantly influenced who we are. In every country we visited, we saw examples of how important art and objects were in cultural expression and how proud artisans were of their work - it stuck with us. We wanted to capitalize on our individual strengths to create something purposeful. Magda Made started from a shared curiosity about craft and beautiful objects. While visiting and later living in Colombia, we began meeting artisans and learning about techniques and materials. What started as a few baskets brought home in suitcases grew into a multi-channel platform highlighting Colombian craftsmanship. Magda Made is named for the Magdalena River, Colombia’s principal river and one of South America’s biggest, often described as the social, environmental, and economic heart of Colombia. Historically, the river’s fertile region has supported many crop-reliant communities and served as the main artery for economic activity. Its strength and resilience are woven into Colombian identity and history.

Can you tell us about yourselves? As co-founders of Magda Made, what strengths do each of you bring, and how do you complement one another in the work?

We are Shannon and Malachi, two best friends who met while working at the same bar in New Orleans, where Shannon was attending Loyola University and Malachi was at Tulane University. Shannon is our Colombian-based half, runs operations, and works closely with the artisans and on our business development. Malachi is based in Vermont and has a background in international development. She is our customer support, content creation, and shipping pro. Our third team member, Sara, lives in Bogotá and helps manage all of our logistics, packing, and exportation.

What drew you to Colombian craft and culture? Is there a personal or ancestral connection, or was it something you discovered along the way? What inspired you to focus on artisan work from Colombia?

After moving to Colombia to be with her now-husband, Dani, Shannon immediately recognized that there was an abundance of beautiful craftsmanship to be found in the country and not enough people appreciating it. We often talked about starting something that involved artisan goods, travel, and cultural storytelling, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to combine all of these things we loved. The inspiration comes from the artisans and their work - every product we carry has a story or tradition and we wanted to create a platform to showcase that. Magda Made was born out of a combination of admiration for the craftsmanship we were seeing and the sheer amount of it - there are unique and gorgeous pieces to be found in every corner of the country, all with a story.

Colombia is home to so many rich and diverse craft traditions. How do you go about finding the artisans and communities you work with? What does that relationship-building look like?

Many of the artisans we work with live in remote areas of Colombia so, travel! Especially in our first few years of Magda, we went on countless road trips across Colombia visiting artisans in close to half of the country’s 32 departments. Our first trip ever was to La Guajira to meet the women behind the Wayuu mochila, and our most recent trip was to Guaviare to visit the nomadic, Nukak-Makú indigenous group who weave some of our favorite baskets. One of our favorite trips was driving from Cartagena to Bogota and stopping along the way in remote and small villages to explore and discover.

There’s also a large expo called Expoartesanias held twice a year, once in Bogota and once in Medellin, where hundreds of artisans from across the country come together, and we’ve made connections there as well.

Can you describe the types of crafts and techniques represented in your collections? We’d love to hear about specific materials, styles, or traditional methods being preserved or reinterpreted.

Our most recent collection features handwoven baskets and bags, mouth-blown glass, hand-hammered jewelry, and hand-pressed paper made from local plants. In terms of materials, artisans use many natural fibers like fique, bejuco, paja tetera, and chambira. The glasses we sell are made from 100% recycled glass collected in Bogota, and the plated gold in the earrings is also recycled.

What drew you to Colombian craft and culture? Is there a personal or ancestral connection, or was it something you discovered along the way? What inspired you to focus on artisan work from Colombia?

We prioritize long-term partnerships over quick production. We purchase consistently and year-round. Many of the artisans we work with today are the same artisans we started working with seven years ago. We take a slow approach with small batches, minimal waste, and long lead times ;) 95% of the artisans we work with are women. We aim to value our artisans’ time, craftsmanship, and efforts by paying fair wages and prices set entirely by them. We want our products to be affordable enough for a large audience to enjoy while also ensuring that our artisans feel appropriately and fairly compensated - that is the balance we are always aiming for.

Photo Credit: Cristina de la Concha

Photo Credit: Avia Artesano

*Full images of the artisans are not shown at their request.

Photo Credit: Cristina de la Concha

What role do you think handmade goods play in helping people feel rooted; in culture, in home, in tradition? Why does this kind of work matter?

Handmade objects carry culture and connect us to traditions and people. In a world of fast fashion, handmade goods remind us to slow down, step back, and value the where/what/how of a thing. This work matters because it supports cultural preservation and emphasizes the human component of commerce and business that is often overlooked.

What are some of the most beautiful or surprising things you’ve learned from the artisans you work with? A lesson, moment, or memory that has stayed with you.

As the whole world knows, 2020 was tough and even tougher for artisans in remote regions of Colombia. We got really lucky during the pandemic with a few huge wholesale orders and we were able to provide much needed cash flow to a few different artisan groups. That year solidified many of our artisan relationships as well as our business as a whole.

A lesson we learn over and over again is that we all have so much more in common than we do differences.

What are you currently working on or dreaming up for the future of Magda Made? We would love a peek into what’s next.

We would like to do more storytelling, so we definitely plan to visit more artisan groups. Our next stop will be Vaupés (part or Colombia’s rainforest, right next to the Amazon) to visit the artisans behind our Liana Baskets, one of our most popular items. Product-wise, we’re looking to do new designs of our Cabo Bags. These bags are very labor-intensive and can take each artisan several weeks to complete, so we’ve found that a made-to-order model is best. We also have a few new glass products launching this summer, and we’re looking into some new jewelry as well.

Finally, what does being “globally rooted” mean to you?

It means cross-cultural connection, and for us in particular, it’s about honoring Colombian craft while building a business that’s transparent, collaborative, and intentional.

Barichara, Colombia

Photo Credit: Cristina de la Concha