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# Kaluwa, Made for the Rhythm of Summer
- URL: https://abagofstories.com/kaluwa-made-for-the-rhythm-of-summer/
- Published: 2026-07-05T08:27:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-30T11:21:21.000Z
- Description: As we continue to build "A Bag of Stories", the AFAR magazine, we turn our attention to another design from the Raffia Collection: Kaluwa, a distinctive woven bag created in two sizes for the lighter rhythm of summer.
- Author: AFAR Staff
- Tags: From the Collections, Hands & Materials, Madagascar

[**Kaluwa**](https://afartextiles.com/raffia-collection/kaluwa/?ref=abagofstories.com) begins with natural raffia, worked by hand into a dense, tactile surface, then finished with leather details in Addis Ababa.

Its generous shape and clean construction bring structure to a material usually associated with the lightness of summer. Available in warm natural shades and deeper, expressive colors, Kaluwa is designed for everyday movement: easy to carry, practical to use, and distinctive without asking for attention.

[Shop Kaluwa](https://afartextiles.com/raffia-collection/kaluwa/?ref=abagofstories.com)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/Kaluwa-mini-caffe-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/Kaluwa-mini-cognac-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/Kaluwa-mini-olive-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/Kaluwa-mini-straw-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/Kaluwa-mini-prune-1-1.jpg)

## Kaluwa Small

Compact, open, and easy to keep close, Kaluwa Small carries the essentials without feeling formal or overly structured. Its short leather handles make it a natural companion for city walks, outdoor lunches, market mornings, and the slower hours of a summer afternoon. 

The smaller proportions give each color a strong presence, from quiet Straw and Cognac to Olive, Café, and vivid Prune.

[Shop Kaluwa](https://afartextiles.com/raffia-collection/kaluwa/?ref=abagofstories.com)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/KALUWA-M-black-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/KALUWA-M-cognac-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/KALUWA-M-olive-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/KALUWA-M-Straw-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/2026/07/KALUWA-M-prune-1-1.jpg)

## Kaluwa Medium

Kaluwa Medium offers more room and longer leather handles for comfortable shoulder carrying. Its wide, balanced silhouette works well through a full day, holding what you need while remaining light and visually clean. 

In Straw and Cognac it feels natural and understated; Olive and Prune bring depth, while Black turns the raffia texture into something sharper and more urban. A practical summer tote with a character of its own.

[Shop Kaluwa](https://afartextiles.com/raffia-collection/kaluwa/?ref=abagofstories.com)

---

## From the Material to the Story

Before raffia becomes a Kaluwa bag, it begins as a leaf—cut, dried, worked by hand, and carried across places and generations of knowledge. In *Madagascar Raffia: What a Leaf Remembers*, we follow the material back to its source and explore the landscapes, skills, and human relationships held within its fibers.

[Madagascar Raffia: What a Leaf RemembersRaffia begins in wet ground, close to water, where the palm grows and each harvest must leave enough of the plant untouched for it to continue living. From Madagascar to Addis Ababa, the fiber carries the memory of landscapes, skilled hands, and decisions made with care.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/icon/Logo-A-bag-of-stories-favicon-97922fd0-229f-47c0-a5a1-422ba2ea32dc.png)A Bag of Stories / An AFAR MagazineFlaminia Paternò![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/20/6d207f2a-6719-4291-87ae-b3b4a25be7f5/content/images/thumbnail/raffia-graphic-005-942780a9-62f7-4c57-b662-0eadb6559f1f.png)](https://abagofstories.com/madagascar-raffia-what-a-leaf-remembers/)