These Kumanakoido bears are very special. In December of 2011, designer Junichi Nakane headed to Mali on a cross-cultural expedition of friendship. Journeying through the country, he noticed the lack of clean water sources in the village of Tireli in the central plateau region, and his friend cited the high cost of building a well in the village. Upon returning home to Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Nakane began toying with ways to contribute to the community of Dogon people in the central plateau beyond writing a check. Nakane found himself with a booth space at the Brooklyn Flea with 15 hand-sewn bears that sold out in less than two hours—and that was the start of Kumanokoido. If you want to help raise money for building this well, you can order your special handmade bear here.
