Inspired by her love for Mexico and her passion for crocheting Iwona Szabla created POLA.

POLA (Polish girl) is a 100% Mexican brand of hand crafted crochet bags & accessories. Iwona learned how to crochet in Poland as a teenager from her aunt but then stopped knitting for many years and pursued a career in accounting.

Then, after living in Tulum, she took a crocheting workshop and her passion returned! Iwona started designing and crocheting her own bags.

Soon after the pandemic, she decided to leave her accounting and administrative job and pursue crocheting full time. Iwona hired local women from Tulum and Valladolid to help her produce more bags 

Iwona is proud to blend her Polish background with her 13 years of residency in Mexico. And it was important to her to create a brand that teaches and employs Yucatec women and use local fabrics to empower the local community. 

Now she is also showing crochet techniques to all those who wish to learn, in the in-person crochet workshops in Tulum, since crochet is like meditation, it helps to be present and concentrate.