The stars aligned in my search for global textiles because the first shop I discovered was the amazing Colores Del Pueblo.
This company is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and works with artisan cooperatives of weavers in Guatemala. This is the mission of Colores Del Pueblo:
- To put people before profit
- To buy from democratically organized, artisan-founded cooperatives
- To pay a fair price to the artisans, enabling their communities to prosper from the grassroots up
- To give indigenous peoples an incentive to continue their important cultural traditions of weaving, basketry, and ceramic making
- To involve the consumer in a partnership which sustains rather than exploits the rich craft heritage of Latin America
- And to address the problems of poverty at the community level first
Check out my Guatemala Tote Collection here. By purchasing this fabric, we are supporting the weavers through fair wages and also aiding the continuation of cultural traditions. These are my ultimate goals and the reason I want to do this work! Their website also lists interesting facts about Mayan weaving. I was surprised to learn that Ixchel, the Moon Goddess, is the patron saint of weaving in Mayan Quiche mythology culture. All the more reason for me to purchase this beautiful fabric.
Source: Colores Del Pueblo, Mission, Accessed November 3, 2019, https://www.coloresdelpueblo.com/pages/mission