Product Design Internship

Through our Artisan Program, we purchase handcrafted beaded jewelry, handbags, houseware, accessories and more, directly from local Guatemalans at an ethically determined price and sell them both locally and internationally.

We currently have an opportunity for a product designer to work within our network of local indigenous artisans to develop new fashion items marketable to western customers.

Internship Objectives:
● Design homeware,accessories and clothing items for men, women and children using traditional fair trade Guatemalan textiles
● Produce designs to be woven by Guatemalan women and sold internationally
● Design various beaded products
● Project manage the entire design process, including trend research/forecasting, pattern making, textile design, technical flats, sampling, trims and details, choosing appropriate fibers and creation
● Develop specification sheets that are easily used by illiterate weavers, quality control, production
● Collaborate and manage communications with international clients to create exclusive designs, products and ranges
● Collaborate with contacts in rural communities to achieve desired outcomes for clients
● Coordinate marketing, styling photoshoots, illustrated tutorials, graphics, gifs, etc.
● Create visuals for social media posts (Instagram, ETSY, catalogue, Blogspot, Wordpress, Facebook)

● Opportunity to grow your portfolio as a designer
● Opportunity to work directly with local artisans
● Opportunity to live within another culture and learn about Guatemalan artistry
● Opportunity to develop foreign language skills
● Opportunity to work with the support of a Program Director, gaining valuable managerial experience
● Opportunity to work with in a team environment
● Opportunity to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders

English, Spanish