The Shoal is a limited collection of one-of-a-kind woven fish, made by hand by Indigenous Emberá women in Panama's Darién rainforest. It gathers sculptural fish, sharks, rays, sawfish and stingrays, with a few woven turtles and armadillos swimming alongside. Every piece is the only one of its kind. When one finds its home, it is gone.

What are the woven fish made of?

Each piece is woven from chunga palm fiber over a core of bundled palm fronds. Nothing is painted. The color comes entirely from rainforest plants, including Trumpet Vine, Safran and Cocobolo Wood, so every shade is something the forest provides.

How are the pieces made?

They are woven, not carved. The weaver builds each form coil by coil, wrapping shredded and dyed palm around a bundled palm core to create a firm spiral that holds its shape. A single piece can take many days of continuous work, and the technique has carried this tradition for generations.

They are made by Emberá women who live along the rivers and coast of the Darién in eastern Panama. The Emberá are water and fishing communities, and the creatures of the water run all through their work. We source directly from the weavers.

Why is each piece one of a kind?

Every piece is woven freehand, so no two are alike in pattern, color or form. Nothing is molded or reproduced. There is no restocking and no second chance. Once a piece sells it does not come back, and the next collection will be entirely different.

What sizes are the pieces?

Sizes range from small forms a few inches across to larger statement pieces well over a foot. Each listing gives approximate length, width and height in both inches and centimeters, measured on the finished piece.

How do I display and care for a woven piece?

Most pieces stand on their own, or on a metal stand with positionable arms for the ones that prefer a little support. Keep them out of direct, prolonged sun and away from damp, and dust gently with a soft, dry brush. With reasonable care, a woven piece lasts for generations.

Are they ethically and sustainably made?

Yes. The pieces are made from renewable rainforest fiber and colored with plant dyes, with no synthetic paint. We buy directly from Emberá weavers, so more of the value stays with the makers and their communities.

How do I buy, and are these authentic Emberá art?

Every piece is authentic Emberá woven art, sourced directly from the weavers in Panama's Darién, and each is one of one, so quantity is always exactly one. Collectors on our list see the full collection first, before the public. When a piece sells it is marked gone and does not return, so if one catches your eye it is best not to wait.

The Shoal | Handwoven Emberá Fish, One of a Kind

A note from Jen — I saw my first woven fish visiting the Panama weavers in early 2026 and stared longer than I mean to admit: the fine Emberá weave I knew from the masks, suddenly swimming in three dimensions. I have collected every form I can find, and every one is one of one.

❤️ Jen at RFB Woven Art

Shop the shoal

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Goldback Woven Fish - Handmade Embera Art

$850.00

Sienna Woven Shark - Handmade Embera Art

$795.00

Reed Woven Needlefish - Handmade Embera Art

$340.00

Whitesaw Woven Sawfish - Handmade Embera Art

$310.00

Driftgray Woven Shark - Handmade Embera Art

$295.00

Ochre Eye Woven Fish - Handmade Embera Art

$250.00

Spindle Woven Fish - Handmade Embera Art

$235.00

Riverstone Woven Stingray - Handmade Embera Art

$205.00

Black-Banded Woven Armadillo - Handmade Embera Art

$205.00

Blacksaw Woven Sawfish - Handmade Embera Art

$160.00

Goldvein Woven Stingray - Handmade Embera Art

$140.00

Mask Display Stand with Bendable Arms

from $25.00

A school of woven fish, made by hand in Panama. Sculptural fish, sharks, rays, sawfish and stingrays, each woven in the round from Chunga palm fiber, not carved, by Indigenous Emberá women in the Darién rainforest. A small companion group of woven turtles and armadillos swims alongside. Every form is built coil by coil over a core of bundled palm fronds, the technique that has carried this tradition for generations.

None of these pieces are painted. Their color comes entirely from rainforest plants: pucham leaves, turmeric, achiote and cocobolo wood. Every one is the only one of its kind. There is no restocking and no second chance. When a piece finds its home, that one is gone. Collectors on our list see the full collection first. Sourced directly from Emberá weavers in Panama's Darién rainforest.

Learn about Emberá weaving →

Commonly Asked

A collection of woven fish, turtles, and coastal creatures made by Emberá women in Panama's Darién rainforest. Launched in early 2026, The Shoal includes every form the weavers see along the coasts of Panama: swordfish, sharks, manta rays, flat bottom-dwellers, alongside woven turtles and armadillos.

Chunga palm fiber, woven in the round over a core of bundled palm fronds. The fish are woven, not carved, and none are painted. Their color comes entirely from rainforest plants including pucham leaves, turmeric, achiote, and cocobolo wood.

Small pieces take a few days. Larger fish and complex forms like manta rays take a week or more. The three-dimensional shaping is done freehand as the weaver coils, with no mold or template.

Yes. I buy directly from Emberá families in the Darién. Every purchase supports the weaver who made it, and a long-running deposit system covers housing, school, medical costs, and daily needs for the weaving families.

No. Every piece is one of one. Once it sells, it is gone. I never restock because no two pieces are identical.

These pieces look striking wall-mounted, on shelves, or grouped together. Dust with a soft, dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight to protect the natural dyes.

Orders ship within 1 to 3 business days with free shipping in the continental US. Returns are accepted within 14 days of delivery in original condition.