Fair Trade Artisan Goods
THE WINDING ROAD
Since 2011
Fair trade, handmade goods from artisan partners in Nepal, Indonesia, and around the world — sourced directly by a founder who spent twenty years traveling before she started the company.
Represented in Tennessee & Kentucky by AmyFay Chandler for Tango Showroom
Chicago Fair Trade Member · 200+ Women Artisans · Founded 2011
To order The Winding Road wholesale in Tennessee or Kentucky, contact AmyFay Chandler — The Winding Road’s rep through the Tango Showroom — at [email protected] or 865-217-6790.
The Winding Road Story
Marla Showfer developed her passion for travel and global goods young. She studied abroad for two semesters in college, backpacked Europe and the Middle East for two summers, and made her way through markets in Cairo, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, France, Mexico, and Israel — mentally noting the goods and craftspeople she wanted to return for. Over the next twenty years, those trips took her to India, Nepal, Peru, and Morocco.
In July 2011, she launched The Winding Road officially with a trip to Kathmandu with her mother. She brought back handwoven cashmere shawls, blankets, felt goods, and other handmade fair trade pieces, ran a “virtual shopping trip” with about 150 friends, then showed the line at the San Francisco Gift Fair — where museums placed the first orders. She built a following at local Chicago markets and grew the brand from there.
The global sourcing instinct runs deeper than Marla’s own travels. Her family history traces back to merchants in Venice in the 1500s and, further back, traders on the Silk Road in Central Asia. The Winding Road is the current chapter of a very old thread.
Today the line has two anchor categories: felt goods from Nepal, handmade by a husband-and-wife artisan team in Kathmandu the brand has worked with since 2012, and handwoven bags from Indonesia, made by women artisans from sustainably sourced Ata vine and rattan. Scarves, shawls, and ruanas from India, Morocco, Peru, and Borneo round out the catalog.
The Handwoven Bags from Indonesia
The Winding Road’s handbag program is handwoven by women artisans in Indonesia from two traditional materials: Ata vine, a wild-growing vine harvested and dried by hand, and rattan, sourced sustainably and woven using techniques that have been passed down in the region for generations.
The silhouettes span crossbody bags, handbags, and totes, each woven by hand — no two are identical. In the brand’s own words: “traditional techniques and eco-friendly materials create timeless, functional designs.”
The bags are the higher-ticket anchor of the line and a clean category tie-in for any store that carries travel, resort, fashion-adjacent, or sustainable-lifestyle goods. They pair naturally with the textile program (scarves, shawls, ruanas) and give the retailer a second price point alongside the felt.
The Felt Goods from Nepal
Since 2012, The Winding Road has worked with a husband-and-wife artisan team in Kathmandu whose workshop now supports more than 200 women artisans. The partnership is direct, long-standing, and built on the fair-trade principles Marla put at the center of the brand from the start: fair wages, safe working conditions, and consistent enough income that the artisans can plan around it.
The catalog out of that workshop is broad — felt animals, ornaments, garlands, nursery mobiles, finger puppets, and seasonal items for every holiday on the calendar. Christmas and fall are the heaviest drops, but the line runs year-round.
The Winding Road now distributes felt from this single workshop to hundreds of U.S. stores. That’s the scale. The feel is still handmade: every piece is hand-shaped wool, not machine-cut.
The Full Line
The line is organized around two anchor categories plus a rotating textile program.
Felt goods from Nepal. Animals, ornaments, garlands, nursery mobiles, finger puppets, seasonal pieces for every holiday on the calendar. The category that runs year-round and peaks hard in Q4.
Handwoven bags from Indonesia. Crossbody bags and handbags woven by women artisans from sustainably sourced Ata vine and rattan. In the brand’s own words: “traditional techniques and eco-friendly materials create timeless, functional designs.” The higher-ticket anchor, and a clean category tie-in for any store that carries travel, resort, or fashion-adjacent goods.
Textiles. Handwoven scarves, shawls, and ruanas sourced from artisan partners in India, Morocco, Peru, and Borneo. The rotating third category — different sources, different techniques, all fair-trade direct.
Fair Trade at The Winding Road
“Our mission is deeply rooted in the principles of fair trade and a commitment to celebrating the craft of skilled artisans around the world.”
The Winding Road is a member of Chicago Fair Trade and every item in the line is sourced directly from the artisans who make it. The brand’s commitments are specific: fair wages, safe working conditions, education, and community support. Marla travels the world building and maintaining the relationships that the supply chain depends on — these are not anonymous vendors.
Since 2011, the brand has supported artisan partners in Nepal and Indonesia, providing “stable income” and helping “improve the standard of living for hundreds of artisans and their families.” The Kathmandu felt workshop alone supports more than 200 women. The Indonesian bag program employs women artisans using traditional weaving techniques that have been passed down in the region for generations.
On the brand’s own framing: “Each product at The Winding Road is a testament to the exceptional skill and creativity of the artisans we work with.” The fair-trade principles are the product, not a marketing layer on top of it.
Retailer FAQ: The Winding Road
Common questions about carrying The Winding Road. Click any question to expand.
What is the wholesale opening order minimum for The Winding Road?
The opening order minimum for The Winding Road is $250, with a $250 reorder minimum. The low opening is intentional — the line is easy for a new retailer to test without a heavy commitment.
Is The Winding Road really fair trade?
Yes. The Winding Road is a member of Chicago Fair Trade and every item is sourced directly from the artisans who make it. Founder Marla Showfer travels the world maintaining the artisan relationships personally — the Kathmandu felt workshop (since 2012) alone supports more than 200 women, with commitments to fair wages, safe working conditions, and ongoing community support.
What does The Winding Road actually make?
Two anchor categories plus a rotating textile program. The felt goods from Nepal are the broadest category — animals, ornaments, garlands, nursery mobiles, finger puppets, and heavy seasonal drops for fall and Christmas. The handwoven bags from Indonesia are the higher-ticket anchor — crossbody and handbag silhouettes in Ata vine and rattan. Scarves, shawls, and ruanas come in from partner artisans in India, Morocco, Peru, and Borneo.
Who founded The Winding Road?
Marla Showfer, a Chicago-area founder with a 20-year travel background that preceded the brand. She studied abroad in college, backpacked Europe and the Middle East for two summers, and spent the next two decades traveling in India, Nepal, Peru, and Morocco. The Winding Road officially launched in July 2011 with a trip to Kathmandu with her mother. Her family history includes Venetian merchants in the 1500s and traders on the Silk Road — the global-sourcing thread runs deep.
Where is The Winding Road available for wholesale in Tennessee and Kentucky?
AmyFay Chandler represents The Winding Road across Tennessee and Kentucky through Tango Showroom at AmericasMart Atlanta. Contact AmyFay directly at [email protected] or (865) 217-6790 to set up a first order or schedule a market appointment.
Ready to carry The Winding Road wholesale in your Tennessee or Kentucky store?
Tell me about your store and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. No pressure — just a conversation about what works for your customers.
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Open your The Winding Road account through Tango →Or tell me about your store below and I’ll set it up.
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Your message comes straight to me. If you’re in Tennessee or Kentucky, expect a note from me directly.
Outside Tennessee or Kentucky?
The Winding Road is represented nationally and reachable directly at shopthewindingroad.com. If you’re reading this from outside TN or KY and you want to carry the line, email me — I’ll point you to the right contact.
If you reach out, tell them where you found it. One sentence — “I saw it on AmyFay Chandler’s site” — is how a page like this becomes something Tango and The Winding Road can actually see.
If The Winding Road is right for your store, these probably are too
Other lines AmyFay represents in Tennessee and Kentucky that pair well with The Winding Road:
Cobblestone Living — Italian-made silks, knitwear, handbags, and accessories.
LINNEA — Luxury home fragrance, hand-poured in Carmel, Indiana.
FacePlant Dreams — Bamboo sleepwear, robes, and bedding.
About AmyFay Chandler
I’m AmyFay Chandler, a Knoxville-based wholesale sales rep serving independent retailers in Tennessee and Kentucky through Tango Showroom. I also represent Sweet Tree Jewelry and Caroline B Cook nationwide. Before I became a rep, I built two T-shirt lines, ran my own retail business, bought home and gift for Elder’s Ace Hardware, and worked with Werner Frank. I have been the maker, buyer, retailer, rep, and person at the register, so I evaluate every line from the store floor first.
I write the Retail Tidbit, a Friday read for local retailers I’ve published since August 2021, to help them buy smarter, merchandise with intention, and keep their stores valuable. Years of past issues live on my blog. Email me. More about me →