ABOUT MARRA
Marra collaborates with artisans to curate handcrafted textiles, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern style. We travel to uncommon places in search of vibrant designs and time-tested techniques that reflect the communities from which they originate. Each collection is made in limited quantities to preserve its authentic detail, offering beautiful and meaningful products for home and traveler.
Marra is a brand born out of a love for travel, an admiration of artistry and the eloquence of designs that echo the stories of generations. We partner with artisan collectives who, in a sea of industrial production, create timeless pieces that tell their stories. Each collection is handpicked to reflect their rich cultural heritage and the makers that have been mastering their craft for generations.
We believe the work of these makers can and should sustain a livelihood, provide economic opportunity and preserve their craft. Our artisans work from their home looms or local meeting places, as they always have, giving them autonomy and the freedom to attend to their families while earning above fair wages. Every purchase you make helps sustain their craft and support ethical employment.
Sarah Contrucci Smith finds and designs pieces made by artisans she meets along her travels. Inspired by the warmth and wildness of her childhood in Indonesia, she’s drawn to the eloquence of age-old designs and complexity of artisanal techniques. Sarah earned her M.A. in International Development from Eastern University and her B.S. in Marketing from Azusa Pacific University. She now lives in Austin, Texas with her family.
“ We believe every person—despite the social, economic or geographic situation they were born into—deserves the freedom to discover, to dream and to thrive.”
Our Values
Freedom
We believe every person deserves the opportunity to thrive. The vicious cycle of poverty strips away freedom and dignity, leaving marginalized communities silenced. By providing access to the global marketplace through this business, our partners are able to generate income, which leads to their ability to meet their families' need for healthcare, education, safe homes and to gain a respected place in society.
Relationships
By building relationships with the artisans, we discover commonalities between individuals, uncover rare talent and establish long-term relationships in their communities. Therefore, we approach our work with each co-operative in a spirit of respect, collaboration and mutual learning.
CULTURE
Culture is the life of a place, the legacy of the people, the heart of the region. Each product represents traditional designs and artisanal techniques, ensuring these practices generate an income that can sustain a livelihood. We seek to invest in the sustainability of communities, ensuring the next generation will embrace their artistic heritage and find economic opportunity through it in a modern world.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We work with locally led cooperatives and entrepreneurs seeking to meet their community’s needs through their traditional craftsmanship and new avenues of creative expression. We believe that collaborating with people who are taking initiative to develop their communities is a sustainable, dignified and empowering way to support their rise out of poverty. By partnering with creative entrepreneurs, we stand in the global marketplace together.
QUALITY
We are a socially responsible company that believes in making things we love and doing it in a way that values the person behind the product. Each piece is handcrafted using high quality, locally sourced materials. Through your purchases, we are able to pay above-fair trade wages and ensure good working conditions.
THE JOURNEY
We continue to learn about cross-cultural partnership and how we can make a positive economic and social impact in a way that creates change, freedom and hope. We seek to actively be a part of the journey of change and restoration in marginalized and disadvantaged communities. We strive to remain open as life-long learners, travelers and entrepreneurs.
“We’re all about the details. It’s the small things that showcase the artist’s mastery in a time of mass production. The attention to detail in a hurried world. The pride in the piece that has been passed down from generation to generation, through their hands, and in to yours.”