1 week ago
10
The question comes up every year: Where can I find a special gift that’s meaningful, useful, and unlike any other? Here’s your answer. The products you’re about to see below come directly from the hands of 12 artisans that the Sandals Foundation supports throughout the Caribbean. These gifts are unique. They’re created with natural island resources. And whenever you buy one of these products, you’re empowering the person behind it to transform their community through job training, environmental sustainability, and entrepreneurial pride. You’ll also be claiming the coolest gift of the season.
Suzy Eneas, The Bahamas, My Ocean Limited
Her Products: Handmade soaps, candles, ceramics, jewelry, and ornaments.
Suzy Eneas wakes up every morning in Nassau as if she’s waking up here for the first time, awed once again by the sights, sounds, and scents of the archipelago. It’s why she can’t wait to get into her studio and create another personal escape for someone who might not be waking up here daily.
Photo credit: My Ocean Limited
“The diversity of The Bahamas provides limitless ideas,” says Suzy, who began crafting gifts 20 years ago. “Everything I create is a testament to the vibrant spirit and richness of our 700 islands.”
For example, Suzy crafts candles that smell distinctly like passionfruit, mango, or sea salt and mint. She and her team of artisans shape and stamp jewelry so each piece is uniquely Bahamian. They curate gift boxes to transport anyone who opens the top to iconic sites like The Blue Hole and the coral reef system, or to the islands of Abaco, Eleuthera, and Inagua. Could there be a better way to wake up?
See more online at myocean.com and on Instagram at myocean_bahamas
Lisette Keus, Curaçao, Lionfish Caribbean
Her Products: Jewelry transformed from the fins, skins, and spines of lionfish.
Before she learned to be a jewelry maker, Lisette Keus learned to be a professional lionfish huntress off the coast of Curaçao. Driven by a passion to protect the fragile ocean ecosystem, she would remove the invasive fish one by one. A question always loomed: what else can I do to make every catch count? In 2016, she decided to use two dive tank O-rings and some lionfish fins to make her first pair of lionfish earrings.
Photo credit: Lionfish Caribbean
“Our team has refined the process since those first earrings to make them more durable,” Lisette says. “Step by step, we’ve turned an experiment into a meaningful brand.”
The small operation in the corner of a dive shop has grown into Lionfish Caribbean, where Lisette combines her stunning wearable art with education about ocean conservation and sustainable food. With each purchase, she’s also able to pay a fair price to local lionfish hunters so they can continue to control the population. While purchases are available online, guests can visit the shop and even engage in Lionfish Jewelry Workshops, where they can make their very own pair.
“Because people are buying lionfish jewelry, we’re able to pay local hunters a fair price, making it possible for them to continue their vital work in controlling the population. Sandals, their clients, and ours all play a direct role in the solution, ” she says, “closing the circle of sustainability and making a real impact on ocean health.”
See more online at lionfishcaribbean.com and on Instagram at lionfishcaribbean
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Lacey Ann Bartley, Jamaica Manchester, Bartley’s All In Wood
Her Family’s Products: Hand-crafted wood gifts, décor, and furniture designed to celebrate Jamaica’s beauty.
At a young age, Lacey Ann Bartley would watch her father work with the indigenous wood found around the gulleys and forests of Manchester Parish in Jamaica. She and her brother learned their father’s precision woodworking skills and work ethic that’s been evident in the quality of each product from Bartley’s All in Wood for more than 50 years.
Photo credit: Bartley’s All In Wood
“The Sandals Foundation has been a crucial partner to help us expand our outreach through tree planting initiatives and to train craftsmen in at-risk communities,” Lacey Ann says. Her vision now extends far beyond the family shop. “The ripple effect of empowerment impacts not only our business but the greater community.”
See more online at bartleysallinwood.com.jm and on Instagram at bartley_s
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Kristle and Kimberly Jeffers, Barbados, Handmade by Kae
Products: Scented bath, body, and home products made with all-Caribbean ingredients.
Kristle and Kimberly Jeffers call their entire product line an extension of the way they’ve always lived, first as kids in Trinidad and then into adulthood in Barbados. Their family knew the nature of the islands would provide everything necessary for a healthy life.
“That’s the way our entire community thrived,” Kristle says.
So, when they wanted to find a way to care for their skin, they experimented with aloe, cucumber, coconut milk, and turmeric until they found their magical recipes. Every ingredient pays homage to their grandparents’ gardens and the island lifestyle. Today, they’ve expanded their product line into body oils, candles, and perfumes. All packaging is plastic-free as a way to thank the environment for what it has always provided them.
“People who are introduced to our products through Sandals now seek us out after being introduced to our brand at the gift shops,” Kimberly says. “It has helped us to grow and develop as we plan our production runs around anticipated needs and has given us valuable info as we streamlined our product offerings.”
See more online at handmadebykae.com and on Instagram at handmadebykae
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Louise Joseph-Ochasi, Antigua and Barbuda, Amya’s Design
Her Products: Bags, clutches, jewelry, and clothing made with Afrocentric touches and finished with natural accents.
An assignment during high school changed Louise Joseph-Ochasi’s life: Explore the forests of Antigua, find indigenous materials, and make jewelry from them.
“The joy of finding something in nature and transforming it into wearable art was born for me,” Louise says. “I want that joy to be evident in all of my products.”
Her products include bags and headwraps, a craft she learned as a little girl from her mother, who inspired her to start Amya’s Design. A few years later, the Sandals Foundation began purchasing her products to be showcased at Sandals’ boutique shops, where visitors from around the world can see them. Every clutch, tote, wrap, and piece of jewelry connects back to that assignment in school. This is why you notice a creative use of sea glass, bark, seeds, shells, burlap, and genuine African fabric.
“My products are my heritage,” Louise says. And it’s safe to say there is nothing else like them.
See more on Instagram at amyas.design
Dana Baugh, Jamaica, Westmoreland, BAUGHaus Design Studio
Products: Handcrafted ceramics that combine functional design with artistic island flair.
Dana is a born and raised Jamaican ceramicist and founder of BAUGHaus Design Studio. With a passion for fine, authentic craftsmanship and design, she creates handmade ceramics that reflect her island roots and love for tropical modern aesthetics. Through her work, she aims to celebrate the beauty of Caribbean culture and sustainable craftsmanship. What began as a deep love for craftsmanship and a desire to make something meaningful evolved into a space where Dana merges her heritage with her vision, and each piece she creates reflects that journey.
Photo credit: BAUGHaus Design Studio
“Growing up in Jamaica, I was always surrounded by the vibrant colors, textures, and rhythms of island life,” Dana says. “And I wanted to bring that energy into my work.”
At BAUGHaus Design Studio, every ceramic piece is an ode to the vibrant soul of Jamaica—its colors, flavors, and the spirit of togetherness that defines island life. Through every collection, Dana aims to bring a piece of Jamaica’s warmth, hospitality, and artistry into homes around the world.
Photo credit: BAUGHaus Design Studio
“The early support from Sandals Resorts helped me gain the confidence to take the next steps in turning my passion into a thriving business,” she says. “Over the years, our partnership has flourished, with Sandals buying products from me for their resorts to collaborating on a variety of projects, even creating custom pieces for special events; Sandals has always been there to help bring my creations to a broader audience.”
Laura Ward, Barbados, Earth and Fire Pottery Studio
Her Products: Christmas ornaments, wind chimes, chattel houses, and Bajan dolls, all hand-crafted from Barbadian clay.
When Laura Ward moved to Barbados from Venezuela in 1991, the island embraced her the way it embraces everyone — as if she’d belonged here forever. She embraced Barbados right back by learning how to craft its treasured earth, known as “Barbadian clay,” into Amerindian-style ceramics that have since become her signature across the island. To this day, Laura expresses her love for Barbados by depicting its unique architecture and culture in each piece, which she impresses, incises, inlays, burnishes, paints, and fires in a kiln.
“My work has been a journey since I encountered this island clay for the first time,” she says. “All I need is a vessel and the landscape around me for inspiration.”
See more on Instagram at earthandfirepotterystudio246
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Nydia Norville, St. Lucia, Choiselle
Products: Botanical hair and body oils, coconut shell candles and coconut wax candles
When Nydia Norville’s modeling career took her to New York City, the frantic pace of city life took a toll on her skin and spirit. The cures recommended to her included lengthy lists of chemicals and synthetics.
“I thought back to my childhood in St. Lucia, watching my grandmother make coconut oil and hair and skincare concoctions from botanicals harvested from the family garden. I borrowed those same concepts to start Choiselle, using natural ingredients known to have healing and aromatherapy benefits in the Caribbean.”
“Sandals Resorts has been a key partner in helping my business grow by supporting me in the development stages. They provided input and strategy to get the products to market,” she says. “More than anything, I proudly put these products out there because each one is made with intent and love.”
See more online at choiselle.com and on Instagram at choiselle
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Daisy Casimiri, Curaçao, Zumpiña Shop Culture Consultancy
Her Products: Keepsakes from her own hands and from artists on the island.
When Daisy Casimiri left her birthplace in Curaçao to attend art academy in The Netherlands, the island never fully let her go. Daisy returned after graduation to organize Carib art projects and to publish magazines and books. “I wanted to put our island on the map,” she says. In 2008, she went all-in by opening a gallery in the Rif Fort, which now provides a central platform for local artists and handcrafters to produce beautiful handmade items for tourists to take home as cherished memories.
Daisy also spreads her passion for this beloved island by offering disadvantaged young people an upward trajectory in education, work, and purpose. With the purchasing power of Sandals, each artisan gains confidence. With confidence, the quality elevates.
“Everything is made locally with two key ingredients,” Daisy says. “Time and love.”
See more online at cathedralofthorns.com and on Instagram at cathedral_of_thorns
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Cherise King-Gibson, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Isla Antilles
Products: Scented soy candles, all of them phthalate-free and naturally Caribbean.
When Cherise King-Gibson looked for a creative outlet to bring her peace in 2020, she never imagined an idea from her sister would convince her to put a good career on hold.
“I did not intend to become a chandler,” Cherise says of her full-time candle-making business, Isla Antilles, which she’s grown through research, networking, trial-and-error, and a passion she didn’t anticipate.
The candles are fully grounded in the tropical nature of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Dark View Falls candle, named after the iconic twin waterfalls, is a blend of coconut, green florals, and touches of wood. Coral Reef exudes hints of citrus and sage. Every ingredient comes from the islands and every step is done by Cherise and her sister.
“And now our partnership with Sandals allows us to reach a broader audience,” Cherise says. “It means we can spread more light and more joy to the world.”
See more on Instagram at islaantilles
Emiliano Cuselli, Barbados, Tropical Art Glasses Barbados
His Products: Glassware for homes and fine restaurants, lampshades, stained glass, and ornaments.
It’s not a mirage when you lay your eyes on Emiliano Cuselli’s gorgeous glass serving trays and bowls. You really can see the Caribbean in the hues and elegant shapes of every piece. Pull out one of his platters and you sense the relaxing mood of the islands, too.
Photo credit: Tropical Art Glasses Barbados
“This has always been my vision,” Emiliano says, “to reflect the beauty of this region in glass.” For the past 30 years, Emiliano’s one-of-a-kind glassware has become known all over the island simply as “Barbados glass.” Food and dishwasher safe, it’s found in restaurants, homes, and at Sandals. When Emiliano thinks back to how this started and to the fact his glassware is now synonymous with Barbados, he’s humbled to four short words: “This says it all.”
See more on Instagram at tropical.art.glasses
(Shipping to the U.S. is available)
Maraika Theresa Young, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Tide Sand & Hand
Her Products: Handmade indigenous crafts include organic coconut bowls and driftwood stone art.
The date is forever etched in Maraika Theresa Young’s memory: March 20, 2019. On that day, King Charles III (then the Prince of Wales) made his Royal visit to the Caribbean. While on St. Vincent, he received a beautiful stone-art piece made with organic materials. The art fit for the King was created by Maraika.
“That kind of appreciation builds pride,” she says.
It’s hard to believe Maraika started creating arts and crafts only a year before the King’s arrival. She and her children would search the beaches for stones, sea glass, shells, and driftwood. Maraika turned them into treasures, gifting them to friends and family, who convinced her to open a business. Since then, and with the help of the Sandals Foundation, she’s expanded her line into more markets while also offering other artisans from St. Vincent the opportunity to sell their products in her store.
“When people see these pieces,” Maraika says, “I want them to see that our way of life is vibrant, spirited, and priceless.”
See more online on Instagram at tidesandhand
English (US) ·