The Mali Mud Cloth Bag
As part of the Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED™ line, the Hallmark creative teams supported the idea of sourcing products and materials from Africa whenever possible. Early in 2007, Hallmark sent a cross-functional team to the Republic of Mali, a country in West Africa that is known for its talented artisans.
Once in Mali, the team learned about the centuries-old process of creating mud cloth, or bogolan, as it is called in Bambara, the language of the Mandé people of West Africa, and chose to add handmade mud cloth bags made of the bogolan fabric to the Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED line.
While in Africa, the team worked closely with the West Africa Trade Hub (WATH), Peace Corp volunteers and MBAs Without Borders volunteers to develop plans for products.
“Our project is the first in Mali to be developed through AGOA, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which was first signed into law in 2000,” says Frank Masterson, Hallmark capacity manager. “The act supports African countries which make efforts to open their economies and build free trade. This project was not only important to our two product suppliers, but to this country.”
“We created something with an authentic African story that would also benefit the African economy,” says Erin Dennis, Hallmark art director. “It was a wonderful experience for us to meet the artisans in person and collaborate on the making of the bags.”
The mud cloth is woven cotton fabric that is dyed with tree leaves, stenciled with a bleach mixture, then stained with clay. Handmade by Malian artisans, no two bags, nor their intricate designs, are identical.
The team of Hallmark experts learned first hand about not only the intricate process the bags go through, but also how they are leaving a positive impact on the area.
“What’s great about the mud cloth bag is that it is an authentic artisan item of the African people we’re working with. While a portion of each bag’s sale is helping combat AIDS in Africa, the bags are also strengthening the Malian economy by creating needed jobs,” said Dennis.