Cuban Handicrafts: Guide to Traditional Artisan Products

Cuban handicrafts are among the richest and most varied cultural expressions in the Caribbean. From noble wood carvings to the delicate embroidery of Trinidad, each artisan piece tells a story of cultural blending, creativity and resilience. In this guide, we explore Cuba’s main artisan products, their materials, techniques and where to find them.

Wood Carvings: The Art of Cuban Hands

Cuba possesses world-renowned precious woods — mahogany, cedar and Cuban ebony — that artisans transform into sculptures, masks, kitchen utensils and decorative figures.

The most recognized carvings include:

• Saint and orisha figures: reflecting Cuba’s religious syncretism, linked to Santería
• Musician sculptures: guitarists, percussionists and dancers capturing Cuban rhythm
• Boxes and humidors: the tobacco tradition inspires handcrafted carved humidors, the perfect complement to Cuban cigars
• Kitchen utensils: mortars, spoons and cutting boards carved from hardwoods

The main workshops are concentrated in Old Havana, Trinidad and Holguín, where entire families maintain techniques passed down through generations.

Ceramics and Pottery: Clay with Soul

Cuba’s ceramic tradition fuses Spanish, African and Taíno influences. Pieces range from utilitarian tableware to contemporary works of art.

Main Centers

• Camagüey: famous for its tinajones, enormous clay vessels that became the city’s symbol. Originally used to collect rainwater, today they’re iconic decorative pieces
• Trinidad: decorative ceramics with colonial and tropical motifs
• Isla de la Juventud: pottery tradition with reddish-toned local clays

Contemporary artists like those at the Taller de Cerámica Artística in Havana have taken Cuban ceramics to international galleries, fusing ancestral techniques with modern design.

Basketry: Fibers That Weave Tradition

Basketry is perhaps the most widespread craft in rural Cuba. It uses native plant fibers:

• Yarey (Copernicia yarey): a palm endemic to Cuba, its leaves are braided into hats, bags and baskets
• Guano (Coccothrinax): another Cuban palm used for baskets and mats
• Henequen (Agave fourcroydes): a resistant fiber for bags, hammocks and rope

The yarey hat is possibly the most recognizable Cuban artisan product. Used by farmers across the island, it has become a symbol of the Cuban countryside. The best are produced in Pinar del Río and Sancti Spíritus.

Popular Basketry Products

Product	Material	Region
Yarey hat	Yarey palm	Pinar del Río
Jabas (bags)	Henequen	Matanzas
Decorative baskets	Braided guano	Villa Clara
Hammocks	Henequen/cotton	Camagüey
Hand fans	Yarey	Trinidad

Leather Work: Cuban Hides

Leather crafting has roots in colonial cattle ranching. Cuban leather workers produce:

• Saddles and harnesses: for Cuban cowboys, especially in Camagüey
• Sandals and shoes: artisan designs blending tropical comfort and style
• Belts and wallets: with engravings of Cuban motifs
• Machete sheaths: a classic utilitarian item from the countryside

Camagüey is the capital of Cuban leather work, heir to its cattle-ranching tradition. The city maintains family workshops where leather is tanned and worked using traditional methods.

Textiles: Embroidery, Lace and Drawn-Thread Work

Cuba’s textile tradition stands out for its delicacy and patience:

• Trinidad drawn-thread work: a technique where threads are pulled from fabric to create openwork patterns. Recognized by UNESCO as cultural heritage
• Hand embroidery: tablecloths, napkins and garments with floral and geometric motifs
• Bobbin lace: a technique of Spanish origin preserved in colonial cities
• Rag dolls: colorful figures representing Cuban characters

The artisans of Trinidad are especially famous. In the Plaza Mayor, it’s common to see women embroidering on porches — an image that has defined the city’s visual identity.

Other Artisan Products

Musical Instruments

Cuba produces high-quality handcrafted instruments: claves, maracas, bongos and hand-carved güiros. Many professional musicians prefer these instruments for their authentic sound.

Jewelry with Seeds and Natural Materials

Necklaces, bracelets and earrings made from tropical seeds (ox-eye, Job’s tears), black coral, tortoiseshell (now prohibited for environmental protection) and coconut. Afro-Cuban style jewelry with colored beads representing the orishas is very popular.

Papier-mâché and Recycled Art

Cuban artists transform recycled materials into art: miniature classic cars made from tin cans, wire sculptures and papier-mâché masks for carnivals.

Where to Find Cuban Handicrafts

In Cuba

• Almacenes San José (Havana): Cuba’s largest craft market, in a former port warehouse
• Plaza Mayor in Trinidad: open-air market with the best textiles and ceramics
• Calle Obispo (Old Havana): galleries and artisan shops
• ACAA Fairs (Cuban Association of Artisan Artists): periodic events across the island

Abroad

• EverythingTienda.com: online shop for Cuban artisan products
• Cuban culture fairs in Miami, Madrid and Mexico City
• Etsy: independent Cuban artisans sell directly

The Future of Cuban Handicrafts

Cuba’s artisan sector is experiencing a moment of transformation. The opening of self-employment has allowed thousands of artisans to sell directly, while social media gives them international visibility. However, access to quality materials and logistical difficulties remain significant challenges.

Organizations like the Cuban Fund for Cultural Goods and community projects work to preserve traditional techniques and train new generations of artisans.

Every piece of Cuban handicraft is a piece of the island: its history, its creativity and its indomitable spirit. Buying Cuban handicrafts isn’t just acquiring an object — it’s supporting a living tradition that connects past and present.

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Interested in organic Cuban honey or Cuban rum? Explore more Cuban products on our blog.