Madagascar, Tanana, Raffia and Wild Silk Textiles

Founded as a shared social enterprise on the edge of Madagascar’s northeastern rainforest, Ta'na'na Madagascar brings together conservation, textile craft, and contemporary design. Led by American conservationist Rachel Kramer, Malagasy entomologist Mamy Ratsimbazafy, and textile artist Lalaina Raharindimby, the studio works with a team of 21 artisans and technicians alongside village-based farmers and makers.

At the heart of Ta'na'na Madagascar is a belief that textiles can be a force for social and ecological regeneration. Native fibres, traditional knowledge, and local expertise are brought together through fair collaboration, creating livelihoods while supporting the conservation of Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity. All proceeds return to locally run programmes dedicated to improving economic opportunities and restoring native species.

The studio works with native raffia and wild cocoon silk, combining traditional techniques with contemporary design. For the Harungana collection, raffia from Raphia farinifera is loom-woven using techniques passed down by Betsimisaraka elders from villages around the Makira rainforest. The fibres are naturally dyed with leaves of the endemic Harungana madagascariensis, while locally made energy bricks reduce reliance on firewood during the dyeing process.

Each textile carries the rhythm of the loom and the knowledge of its maker — a meeting of craft, place, and conservation, keeping a threatened weaving tradition alive while allowing Madagascar’s natural world to shape its future.