Keep it dry. Keep its shape. Wipe it softly, and go gently around the beads and the handles. Hand-made is not the same as fragile - it means a hand that knew the work made it, and it deserves a hand that knows how to keep it.
Why care comes with the craft
Every YZA piece is woven in our Guéliz studio, by the women of the atelier - Fatima has had her hands in raffia for thirty-seven years. A basket bag is roughly forty-eight hours of work, spread across about six days; a crocheted fruit charm can take her up to six hours for a single bunch of grapes. When a thing is made that slowly, knot by knot, it asks for a little attention in return. That is all care is, really - keeping the work alive.
Keep it dry and shaped
Banana leaf and raffia are light, delicate natural fibres - they don't want to be soaked, and they don't want to be flattened under things in a drawer. Keep a bag away from heavy rain, pools, and the washing machine. If it does catch a shower, let it air-dry slowly on its own, away from direct heat and strong sun - banana leaf darkens in the sun, so the shade keeps the colour even. To store it, stand it upright or fill it loosely with tissue, so it holds the silhouette the hand gave it.
Clean gently
For a small mark, a dry soft cloth is usually all it takes; a barely damp one for something more stubborn, then leave it to dry. No bleach, no alcohol, no scrubbing, no machine - none of those is kind to a natural fibre. Around the charms and earrings, dab gently through the crochet rather than rubbing, and let the piece dry through completely before it goes back on the shelf.
Protect the details
The glass beads, the rings, the raffia-wrapped handles - these are the slow parts, so handle them slowly. Don't pull hard, don't twist, don't load a bag past what feels easy, and keep sharp objects away from the weave. A handle carried with a little care lasts; one yanked across a shoulder day after day gives out. Where there's leather, it gathers a patina - design with those changes, and the bag ages into your life, not away from it.
When something does need attention
Hand-made pieces are perfectly imperfect, and now and then a thread loosens or a bead shifts - that is the nature of the hand, not a fault in the work. A loose end can usually be eased back into place with a gentle hand. And when it needs more, bring it to us: we repair YZA pieces at the Guéliz studio for life, free, and ask only for shipping if you're sending one from far away. We made it, so we know how to keep it whole.
Carry it well, and it stays with you
Carry a piece of Marrakech. Find the YZA piece from this story, or come to the atelier at 66 rue Yougoslavie in Guéliz and put your hands on the handwork. Rooted in Marrakech, made to travel.
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FAQ
A few drops are fine - just never soak it, and keep it out of heavy rain and pools. If a bag does catch a shower, let it air-dry slowly on its own, away from heat. Prolonged water softens the shape and dulls the colour of a natural fibre.
Lay them flat or hang them - somewhere they won't be crushed or left damp. Hand-crocheted raffia keeps its plumpness when it's given a little room to breathe.
Not at all. It's hand-crocheted, so a loose end can usually be eased back into place with a gentle hand. If you're unsure, write to us or come by the Guéliz atelier - we repair YZA pieces here for life, free, and we'll look at it with you.
