Easily one of the most beloved of all animals - Elephants have fascinated humans with their strength and gentleness. Humans and elephants have coexisted amicably for millions of years and this close connection has led many cultures to believe that elephants represent good fortune
Elephants live and travel within small and large packs that include elders, youth and babies. They form close connections and strong bonds with each other just like human beings and are very protective of their families.
In earlier times, many cultures enlisted elephants in wars. Umpteen stories of their valor, strength and loyalty have given humans enough reasons to reveer them and consider them as a symbol of protection, wisdom and good luck
According to the Chinese concept of Feng shui - by bringing elephant figurines into your home, you can possibly bring in their positive energies. In Hinduism, elephants are revered as Ganesha, the god of luck and good fortune
If you are an elephant lover or just looking to possibly bring this positive energy into your (or someone you know) life consider our wooden elephant keychain charm, wood elephant earrings and cork elephant wallet (below)
Cork Fabric Elephant card wallet - Buy here
For many, collecting jewelry and other items featuring elephants is in the hope of possibly experiencing some good luck. While there is no complete proof that these objects may bring good luck, you can certainly enjoy their craftsmanship and elegant beauty.
Moreover, these images of elephants are with their trunks raised in upward position. An upward pointed elephant trunk denotes energy, luck, prosperity and kindness. It is a movement elephants use to greet friends and express delight. Elephant Images with their trunks raised are considered harbingers of good fortune.
Lucky Elephant wood keychain - Buy here
So why not add a wooden elephant keyring / earrings or a cork elephant wallet to your collection today? Whether you're looking for a thoughtful gift or a special treat for yourself, these delightful eco-friendly accessories may just bring a touch of luck and joy to your life. With free shipping (already good fortune is smiling on you:)) you possibly cannot go wrong here
Lucky Elephant wood earrings - Buy here
Lucky Elephant ensemble - Buy here
New! Elephant Bi-fold Wallet - Buy here
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Enter - Sumsaara handmade coaster sets that do way more than protect your furniture. They also provide decor that is both aesthetic and functional (and a conversation starter!). Most of all, they help guests individualize their drink because they can choose their own designer coaster - much like wine charms!
In fact, Sumsaara cork coasters do more than wine charms - they add to the elegance of your home and make you feel good because they are made from sustainable natural resources and are handcrafted by artists in your local community.
But Why Should You Buy Sumsaara Cork Fabric Coasters?
Vegan Leather
Cork fabric is all the rage right now and for all the right reasons. It comes from Cork trees, so it is not only sustainable, but is also waterproof, antibacterial, durable and sturdy.
The coasters are also non-skid and the thickness is just right to prevent a glass from tipping over.
As it protects your cherished furniture from unwanted scratches and water stains, maintaining them is simple enough too. Just wipe with soft damp cloth to get the stains right off!
Stunning Eye Catching Colors and Patterns:
Be it the Safari set that brings back fond memories of your Kenyan vacation (or not!) or the Mosaic tile prints that reminds you of Morocco or the Spring pattern that sparks a conversation on Monet and the Impressionist Era, our table coaster sets are sure to add style and spark conversations at your parties
Unique Housewarming / Holiday Gifts Under $50:
Sumsaara coaster dining room sets come in attractive eco-friendly gift-ready packaging making them a much appreciated and unique gift that reminds your giftee of you, each time they look at it. Whether they are for a wine connoisseur or a tea, coffee lover or a proud new homeowner, these sure make for a thoughtful, affordable gift.
Here are some testimonials from our customers who love our handmade coaster sets -
JoAnne L on Oct 12, 2020
I purchased two lovely sets of coaster marker sets. They are gorgeous and the designs are fun! They are also light as a feather. I gave one set to a friend who was delighted and loves them as well. I look forward to trying more of these sustainable and gorgeous products over time!
Highly recommend
Sara on Jan 08, 2021
Love my coaster marker sets! They are light but the hold is fantastic! None of my glasses slip out of them. I put my morning coffee mug on them and the heat doesn't get transferred to the table. I met the founders in-person in early 2018 & 2019 during the Los Altos Wine and Art festival, and I have bought a few items from them and absolutely LOVE their products! I'm grateful that I can order online and continue enjoying their products.
]]>But for those of us who also support the environment and want to purchase more sustainable products (because Mother Earth deserves some TLC too ❤), it can be challenging to find the right options. Not to worry, though - Sumsaara has got you covered!
A great place to start if you’re unsure about sustainable wallets is with our handmade wallets available in stylish colors.
Let's take a look at them in detail -
Design
Sumsaara’s handmade fabric wallets feature a bifold design, with two sections folded in half. Since it only folds once, bifold wallets tend to be slimmer. As such, slimmer wallets are best suited for carrying in bags or folded inside your pockets. No more awkward looking and bulky pockets!
Durability
To make our handmade bifold wallets, we use cork fabric because it is durable, soft and lightweight, and most importantly environmentally friendly. Since cork fabric doesn't absorb dust, it's hypoallergenic and great for those with allergies or asthma. As an alternative to animal leather, it is vegan and cruelty-free. Not only this, it is resistant to water, fade, and mildew, making it last for a very long time.
Variety
Every wallet we have is fashion-forward and sophisticated, and it's available for men and women both. And that too in trendy colors!
One of our cork fabric wallets boasts a multicolored mandala pattern with an artistic feel. What’s more, you can be assured that they are not only ethical and environmentally friendly but also chic and trendy.
We also offer one in a good luck elephant pattern - a must have for animal lovers. Additionally, it would be an excellent gift. Stylish and lightweight, this eco-friendly wallet would make a wonderful addition to your handbag.
Apart from these two, we have black, bronze, and other vibrant-colored wallets along with natural cork ones too.
Spacious
Inside the closure, our wide variety of wallets have 2 pockets to hold up to 8 cards. The pocket features a front divider for your most used card. The third pocket can hold cash bills and receipts. It can also be carried in a larger bag or folded over to place inside your pocket, considering its compact size.
Wrapping Up
The aforementioned features make it a perfect choice, especially if you wish to buy an eco-friendly wallet that meets your style demands. So, don’t forget to buy now to get that elegant sophisticated look with our slim bifold wallets. ]]>
Three times a year - Mother’s Day, Mom’s Birthday and Christmas, I would strive to handcraft something beautiful and innovative for my mother. She likes to carry a clutch and has an amazing collection but they were all kept in a drawer in her closet. For Xmas of 2016 I handcrafted a wooden clutch which could open flat for her to display it as a work of art!!
Everywhere she went the clutch went. It was a conversation piece and she was the center of attraction at every event. Needless to say she loved it!
Soon her friends started requesting me to make the clutch for them. Seeing the interest, I decided to launch it commercially. For a commercial product the clutch had to go through some changes. I had to play around with size so that it would fit a smartphone yet be comfortably carried in hand. Since the idea was to be able to display it I needed some vibrant, artsy and yet sturdy interior material. I did not want to use leather. I also wanted to make the entire clutch as eco-friendly as possible. I had seen some cork fabric bags and after some research decided to use this beautiful material which came from natural and sustainable resources
I included a card wallet to be carried in the purse not only to make it more stylish but also because it could carry a couple of cards and still fit into the clutch. Now all we needed was a flattish key chain.
Our logo the Sumsaara Elephant was laser cut and made into a key ring. Elephants are very intelligent, compassionate and sensitive and Sumsaara stands behind ending cruelty towards animals and contributes to the Save the Elephant Charity
The elegant butterfly packaging made out of recycled cardboard finished the ensemble. Viola! Our beautiful Essence Clutch was ready for you to be the Belle of the Ball!
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Board Games are HUGE in my home.... even today. Puzzles are NEXT. I even worked at a Puzzle Store in Redwood City during high school and since then have always wanted to design one myself. And of course, we wanted to take it a step further and as with all our products transform the puzzle to a functional and displayable work of art!!
Even as I was developing the concept the pandemic hit us. The idea now became even more relevant. To be able to design something that the entire family can bond over and then enjoy as a keepsake became doubly important.
Since we adore the cork fabric with all its colors and hues and its versatility we decided to develop our puzzle around it. After many prototypes and much testing we settled on the concept of a puzzle tray/wall art. After the family is done with the puzzle they can either turn it into a serving tray or wall art or both!!
To make it family friendly we decided to keep the degree of complexity as moderate so that all levels of puzzlers can enjoy the activity. For people who enjoy challenges we do suggest to only consult the picture if it is absolutely necessary!!
Since no two puzzles are exactly alike they are also a great party activity with 2-3 groups competing with each other. The Tropical Party Set especially works really well for these kind of social gatherings
Tag us at ...............and let us know how long it took you to complete the puzzle
]]>So for all those Zoom meetings and virtual hangouts we designed enchanting and eye-catching earrings with eco-friendly cork fabric and again we were the ‘talk of the meeting’:))
As more and more people asked for our earrings and also for different combinations of sizes and colors, we decided to go a step further and enable people to make their own designs.
Our DIY Earring Kit gives you hours of creative fun and thinking, makes you boldly show off your designs at your virtual meetings, gives you a striking appearance and if you have young ones at home helps with family bonding time and improves their small motor movements
The earrings are extremely light and do not tire your earlobes. Once you are adept at making the earrings you can take them apart and try another combination. You can also use the cork fabric pieces to make necklaces. It is a lifelong creative process that you will thoroughly enjoy.....we promise you!!
]]>This became a hunger and a passion - that led me to explore Design (while in high school) during the summers at Academy of Art in San Francisco and Art Center in Pasadena. I discovered a world of tools and mentors to give practical and potential commercial expression to my ideas and beliefs. This led me to a degree in Design with emphasis on Industrial Design and Graphic Design in the initial years at California State University at Long Beach and finishing up at San Jose State University. I consider myself very fortunate that I got trained at the four very best Schools for Design in CA:)
Soon after my graduation I introduced the Essence Clutch at a show in San Mateo. It was received with much excitement and appreciation and garnered a lot of attention. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was exhibiting in trade shows all over California and occasionally outside too
This journey although very satisfying was very challenging. To bring ideas to life the first need is capital. Thankfully with the help of crowdfunding through Kiva and a grant from City of San Jose I was able to stay true to my wish to have my products read ‘Made in America’. The second most challenging aspect was ‘selling’. I was trained to be a designer and would rather spend my time behind the drawing board. After talking to thousands of people at the trade shows, I am happy to say that I am now comfortable in front of the drawing board too!!
My belief for my products remains the same that I have carried over from my childhood. To boldly transform everyday things into works of art - by designing innovative, exciting yet functional and visually beautiful products handcrafted locally from materials that are as eco-friendly as possible
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With the warmer weather creeping in, let's celebrate with a cool, refreshing cocktail! One of our favorites at home is our fruity, tangy Summer Sangria Recipe -
]]>With the warmer weather creeping in, let's celebrate with a cool, refreshing cocktail! One of our favorites at home is our fruity, tangy Summer Sangria Recipe -
What you'll need:
Recipe:
Add equal amounts of chilled ginger ale, cranberry juice and white grape juice to a jug and mix with some crushed ice and your favorite alcohol, if you'd like (We love a sweet Chianti)
Place sliced lime, lemon, apples and berries in each margarita glass, and pour Sangria.
Serve with Sumsaara Coaster Markers to complement the fun pops of color of the fruit in the drinks! (And to keep track of your delicious drink, so you know when to pour another round ;) It'll sure make for a lovely insta photo!
Take a picture of your drink and coasters and tag us at @sumsaara.designs! We'd love to see your creations! Cheers!
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