Perhaps you'll do better during the holiday shopping season. I find that people will buy things that they can use, so we've tried to get things such as placemats, bags, backpacks, etc. Some of the more successful importers work with the artisans on designs that will sell well in the US.

On this note...I came home disappointed that I didn't buy more. I bought some beautiful soapstone animal napkin rings at African Heritage, some great stuff in Rwanda too. I'd like to buy some more for myself and for Xmas gifts. Any ideas where or how I can get some good quality items? I'm looking for napkin rings, salt/pepper holders made of batik bone, oversize purses, wooden salad spoons (batik or animal), bowls, etc. etc. I liked a lot of the items at the African Heritage shop (obviously they were very pricey). Any ideas how to get similar items from the U.S.?

Thanks!

Lucy, if you come to Sweden you’ll get a Fodorite discount on wooden salad sets (animal and curled), cocktail sticks, spoon sets and banan bark coasters. I’ll have to get some salt/pepper sets. Soapstone is heavy and it breaks.

Don't tell the Editors! @-)

Aby provided a good US link.
http://www.africaguide.com/shop/artcraft.htm

Thanks Nyamera...I wish I was in Sweden! I had looked at that link...unfortunately the link that it links to doesn't carry the items I'm looking for :( Too bad.

Lucia78, what kind of items are you looking for?

Well..you're about to get my wish list!

I got these beautiful soapstone carved animal napkin rings from the African Heritage shop next to the Carnivore. I only got 6, so I would 6 more.

-Rwandan baskets (I never picked any up) Specifically the yin and yang ones.

-I could never find the batik small bowls with tiny spoons that several camps in the Mara and in Rwanda used as salt and pepper shakers. I'd love a few of them.

-large wood wall carvings.
-Rwandan Coffee
-Silver/Aluminium bracelet cuffs
-Wooden bowls with carved animals drinking out of them (but not the painted bowls)
-Large Salad Spoons with batik or animal carvings on the handles.
-Baskets that I saw used as laundry baskets in the camps we stayed at. I even tried to buy them off the managers at Basecamp, but they wouldn't sell them :(
-Woven purses (large)

Honestly, I'm not setting up a business...I just want all this stuff for me and for friends.

Lucia-
If you're looking specifically for Rwandan coffee, try this link:
http://store.thanksgivingcoffee.com/...products_id=33

It's from Rwanda and part of the proceeds go back to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund helping save the mountain gorillas in the region.
I'm not a big coffee drinker but I've tried it and it's pretty good.

Hope this helps get at least part of your wish list taken care of.

Thanks! I'll have to give it a try. We're nearly done with our supply of Cafe de Maraba...which I adore. So I will give this a shot. Thanks again!