Rosa is the leader of a women’s cooperative in San Juan La Laguna that uses purely natural ingredients to create their handmade items. Passed down from her grandmother, these ancient techniques use plants to dye the cotton fabric making Rosa's items 100% organic and eco-friendly. Rosa has joined with other women of the Maya Tzu’tujil community to keep this beautiful traditional art alive.
» »∙ Don Vicente ∙ « «
Don Vicente and his family have a quaint home workshop and local storefront in Panajachel. He and his wife have unique designs that they elaborate together. Using all traditional techniques, Don Vicente and his family create backpacks, weekenders, tote bags and bucket purses with Maya textiles and are passing this artisan culture down to their children.
» »∙ María∙ « «
Maria creates her magnificent handicrafts in San Antonio Palopó with a group of female weavers. They travel every day by public transport to get to Panajachel to sell their handmade items in the larger market here. Without a stand or locale, Maria carries most of her items on her head and walks the streets looking for buyers. We love working with María because she's always eager to share new ideas and create beautiful custom products for our clients!
» »∙ Juanita∙ « «
Juanita is the leader of a women’s cooperative in the small Maya village of El Triunfo in the western highlands of Guatemala. Juanita and all the women in her cooperative are mothers eager to send their children to school to make a better life for them. Most do not leave their village or speak Spanish, so your purchase provides these female weavers with a dignified job opportunity to help break the cycle of poverty.
» »∙ Lydia∙ « «
Originally from the village of Chichicastenango, Lydia and her family have been sourcing traditional textiles for years. Speaking the indigenous language K'iche', Lydia maintains her culture proudly and is passing that on to her children. Her unique collection embraces the numerous Maya villages around all of Guatemala and she is thrilled to share it with you!
» »∙ Teresa∙ « «
Teresa, along with a few other indigenous women in Santa Catarina, started an artisan group to support their growing families. They successfully adapted to the oversaturated Guatemala tourist market by designing a completely new product--her gorgeous woven greeting cards. The whole family helps sell their products in Panajachel--Teresa’s clever kids have picked up some English through their interactions with foreigner visitors here.
» »∙ Juana∙ « «
29 years ago, Juana moved here to Panajachel from the small village of Quiche to explore the opportunities for artisans and ended up staying after meeting her husband. Their vibrant stall on the main tourist street in Panajachel, Calle Santander features gorgeous traditional textiles and vintage pieces. They started selling together because of their shared passions for textiles and business, but now Juana says it most importantly provides the means for them to send their children to school.
