In the small communities of San Marcos and Santiago, on the shores of Lake Atitlán in the highlands of Guatemala, approximately 60 Maya artisans work together to crochet our handmade fair trade kippot or yarmulkes. The women crochet to generate a steady income for themselves and their families. Each handmade kippah takes approximately 3 hours to create. Artisans are paid a fair wage for each yarmulke. They also receive additional benefits that align with MayaWorks' fair trade principles such as literacy trainings, eye exams and eyeglass donations, skills and leadership trainings, low-interest microloans as well as scholarships for artisans' daughters to attend school. Maya artisans began making crocheted kippot several years ago on the suggestion of a Jewish friend who visited the artisans and saw them crocheting hacky sacks. She said if the women can make hacky sacks they can make yarmulkes! After a few lessons in how to make the kippot rounded and shaped, the women set to work creating this new product. Some months later, MayaWorks realized the artisans were unsure of what they were creating. A discussion ensued that talked about religious customs, both Mayan and Jewish, and explained the use and meaning of the kippot. "The Maya women's creative designs and patterns have proved to be a perfect match for the kippot," says Jeannie Balanda, Executive Director of MayaWorks. "The women understand the religious significance of the kippot. They are a respectful culture and put a great deal of thought and care into the design and quality of the product."
6 Inch Bright Crocheted Kippot
Our fair trade hand-crocheted original Mayan kippot or yarmulkes come in over 40 artisan-inspired designs. Each Guatemalan kippah is approximately 6 inches in diameter, but variation may occur due to the handmade nature of the yarmulke. Artisans craft their designs using bright colors to reflect the bright colors used in their “traje”, the traditional Mayan dress used by indigenous men and women in Guatemala.
PLEASE NOTE: OUR HAND-CROCHETED KIPPOT ARE SOLD INDIVIDUALLY; THEY ARE NOT SOLD IN PACKAGES OF 7. WE HAVE BULK PRICING! Please see the Bulk Kippot tab below & our FAQ for more info.
Please note, Mayan kippot images shown here are samples of the many brightly colored designs of our one-of-a-kind, hand-crocheted fair trade yarmulkes. You will receive a variety of these unique handmade kippot designs. We generally do not accept individual color requests because each crocheted kippah is made with at least 5 to 6 colors making it almost impossible to single out a particular shade. Mayan yarmulkes are 100% cotton. We recommend hand washing in cold water and line drying. Your purchase of our Fair Trade Handmade Bright Crocheted Guatemalan Kippot for your simcha is a wonderful Mitzvah. It provides income to the artisans who crochet the kippot which means better food on their family table, better access to health care and school for Maya children. You can make a difference in the lives of a Maya family in Guatemala!
We offer discounts to our customers when ordering in bulk quantities:
If you order 14-99 kippot, you receive a 25% discount.
Use promo code KIPPOT25 at checkout
If you'd like to purchase a bulk order of 100 or more kippot, contact MayaWorks at info@mayaworks.org for a 50% discount code.
For more information about bulk ordering, please see our FAQ or contact MayaWorks at info@mayaworks.org for any questions regarding our bulk discounts.