About Us

Nestled in the lush, green mountains of Vermont there's a building covered in rust. The rust is intentional, and the building has the least environmental impact of any industrial building in the region. It's also the headquarters of Cultural Intrigue.

Those who know us for our fun party decorations and exotic home decor products might wonder, "What's a nice company like you doing in a place like that?" We are here because of the vision of Adam Gebb, who founded Cultural Intrigue, and built the rust-covered building expressly for it. Cultural Intrigue is the outgrowth of Adam's fascination with the cultures of Asia and his deep commitment to protecting the environment.

It started 20 years ago when he traveled to India, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bali. The more places he visited, the more he was intrigued by the handiwork of the people he encountered. Adam started shipping back crates of clothing and accessories made with antique silk and other hand-made fabrics from tribes in Thailand such as the Atha, Meo, and Lisu. He set up a store in his home base in Brattleboro, VT, and a business was born. The product lines are continually evolving, but now we are best known for our paper goods like lanterns, parasols, and fans, and our home decor products like printed pillow covers, glass vases and candle holders.

One of the reasons our company stands out from the others is our commitment to preserving the environment and to the survival of world cultures that are in danger of disappearing. Whenever possible we use sustainably harvested and renewable resources. Most of our paper lanterns are made of bamboo and rice paper. Our paper parasols, also made of bamboo and rice paper, do not have any plastic parts. Despite the impact of higher bamboo prices, we will continue to offer products made with the same materials that have been used by indigenous peoples for centuries. More than 80% of our packaging materials are reused or recycled. To support the fledgling businesses of women in remote Jaipur, India, we purchase their hand-dyed, block-print pillow covers. Skilled Ikat weavers of Bali also benefit from our orders for party favor clutches and pillow covers.

Event Planners, Wedding Planners, Boutique Owners, and Decorators make up our wholesale customer base. Six years ago, we opened a retail business, Luna Bazaar. The business operates online, and is very popular with brides-to-be.

Our mission is to continue to supply reasonably-priced, innovative products to our customers, while conserving the resources of the planet - both its natural resources, and its unique peoples.