Artemisa Mexican Artisans Hand Dyed & Woven Textiles from Michoacán, Chiapas, Oaxaca

Once local cotton has been harvested, sheep shorn of their wool and silk collected from silkworms, artisans card, spin, spool, dye, and weave the raw materials into woolen rugs, embroidery, traditional Native attire, and clothing of mixed ethnic origins.

Many of today’s leading artisans use natural dyeing methods dating back more than 2,000 years. For example, artisans use the cochineal insect to produce a deep red color, and sea snails to produce purple. Other dyes are derived from such diverse sources as annatto seeds (red), charcoal, indigo and the zacatlaxcalli vine (yellow).

Once dyed, fabrics are woven on looms. Mexican artisans use two distinct types of looms. The first and more traditional is the backstrap or belt loom. This loom is of ancient Mesoamerican origin and is used mostly by indigenous women in areas where traditional clothing is still made by hand. One end of the loom is tied to a tree or post while the other goes around the weaver’s waist. The fabric is woven using wooden tools to pass the yarn, tighten the weave, and form the design. The second and more popular tool is the foot pedal loom. This loom, introduced by the Spanish, allows artists to weave wider fabrics. It is used to make shawls, ponchos, rugs and tapestries.

Rebozos from Michoacán

One of the most distinctive garments made by Mexican weavers is the rebozo, which is similar to a shawl. The State of Michoacán is known for its striped rebozos, made from cotton and artisela, featuring handmade fringe work

		Handwoven Mayan Textiles from Chiapas Mayan women in a textile cooperative in the highlands of Chiapas weave beautiful cotton and wool fabric with traditional Mayan designs on backstrap looms. Artemisa carries their tapestries, table and bed linens, pillowcases, clothing and baby bibs in vibrant colors.

		Embroidered Dresses from San Antonino, Oaxaca Indigenous women in Oaxaca hand embroider and crochet charming, sometimes exquisite cotton garments in keeping with Zapotec Indian traditions dating back more than 2,500 years. Some of the more intricately embroidered dresses take several months to create. Artemisa carries infants’, girls’ and ladies’ dresses and men’s embroidered tunics in practically any color combination.
		Wool Rugs from Teotitlán de Valle, Oaxaca Using the same methods their Zapotec Indian ancestors did over 2,000 years ago, artisan families in Teotitlán de Valle card, spin, dye (using all natural dyes) and weave the finest local yarns into works of great beauty and unexpected refinement. Artemisa is proud to carry exceptional rugs from the Isaac Vásquez family workshop, and from Isaac’s accomplished son Ernesto Vásquez.