Look for Petel African Vintage Fabrics at the Urban Air Market

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Husband and wife team Julie and Ibrahim Wagne import gorgeous, vibrant textiles from Mauritania (where Ibrahim's family hails from), and have created Petel to sell them here in the U.S. to support the African artisans who create them.

The lovely bags, pillows, scarves and skirts are available online, but it's worth a trip to the Hayes Valley Urban Air Market on Sunday to check them out in person. The vibrant fabrics are hand-loomed by members of the Mauritanian Fulani tribe using a dying craft that the Wagne's hope to reinvigorate by funding training for new artisans with the profits from Petel.

The word "Petel" translates to "little spark" in Pulaar, the Fulani language, and that's what they hope their startup project will be for the men and women who hand loom these fabrics. Also look for vintage scarves previously worn for years by "rugged African men." The Wagne's are giving them new ones and bringing you the incredibly soft (and washed, of course) fabric to make your own.
· Petel [Official Site]
· Uban Air Market [Official Site]
· Urban Air Market Brings Indie Goods to Hayes, Sunday [Racked SF]