Fans come in all shapes and sizes: large, small, ornate, made of silk, or with numerous sticks. The list is endless. But if you want to know which are the best, you only need to ask about their origin—that is, who makes them and how. Their quality, and indeed their durability, depends on their craftsmanship.
Although there is increasing variety and innovation in the fan sector every day, there is one undeniable truth: the best fans are the handcrafted ones, made with patience and respect for tradition.
How can you tell if a fan is handmade? The first question you should ask is whether the fan was made by hand, without the use of machinery or automation.
Although we live in an industrialized world and the vast majority of products are mass-produced, there are also factories that continue to work with the best artisans, who calmly and carefully create and carve each piece of the fan.
If you buy our ràfega fans , you'll notice that neither the wood nor the decoration is perfectly uniform, reflecting the artisan's handiwork. We are convinced that each fan is a work of art, and we know that, thanks to the Valencian families who make them, each of our customers takes home a unique and unrepeatable piece.
These families who own the factories usually have a long and rich tradition. Generation after generation, they have shared their knowledge and perfected their techniques so that handcrafted fans remain at the forefront of the industry without sacrificing quality.
If you think these tips are insufficient, you can also ensure that the fan is handmade if it has the AEA (Spanish Artisan Fan) seal engraved on the outside of the sticks, which guarantees its authenticity.
Don't forget that the best fans, the handcrafted ones, usually have a higher price. At Ràfega, we're not ashamed of that, because we know that behind each product there's a huge amount of effort, time, dedication, and tradition that deserves to be rewarded.
