Guatemala
Rugs : Jun Batz Cooperative
Led by Byron and Marcelo Antonio, this collective of wool weavers from the Momostenango region of Guatemala is comprised of about 17 individuals.
A truly community based tradition, the people here have been weaving since they were children - many of them taught by their family on looms right in their own households.
Byron, the leader of the cooperative and a young man himself, sees the importance in instilling this tradition in his family and community members so that they may carry it on into the future.
The wool is harvested from the free-roaming sheep in the region and is then carded , spun, and dyed by hand with dyes made from native plants. The weavers memorize the designs they create on the loom, keeping track by counting each thread. The shaggy rugs are hand tied with short fibers; The wool is pre-trimmed and tied on with one hand, while the other hand holds back the warp. To watch them move across the loom, adding threads with one hand one-by-one is a truly remarkable sight!
Jaspe Textiles : Manuel
Jaspe, otherwise known as Ikat, is a labor-intensive resist-dye technique. The dyeing process alone takes a week and is repeated as necessary according to the design. Once the threads are dyed and dry, they are prepped for the loom, which will take another week. From there, weaving will take another two weeks.
Our Jaspe fabric is dyed and woven by Manuel in Nahuala on a foot loom in his home. As is typical with this work, the family is usually involved. Manuel distributes work to his community for larger orders.
Coban Textiles : Aurelia
Aurelia is an extremely talented weaver who is responsible for the Coban fabric used to craft our All Day dress and Cabana tops. She works on a foot loom from her home in Solola.
Sewing and Pattern Making : Irma
Irma is a pro. She is responsible for all of our apparel - from patterns to samples to production. She's amazing!
Mexico
