Modern sustainable luxury inspired by the native plant fibers and ancient handcrafted traditions of Yucatán, México.
An Ancient Art
Artisans are the guardians of one of Yucatán’s most valuable resources—a culture whose traditions are at risk of disappearing
In hands as textured as the native plant fibers they work with, artisans possess the knowledge and desire to preserve their ancient traditions by passing them down to the next generations of mothers and daughters. The ‘ancianos’, or ancient ones, still work with tools and techniques used in eras from long ago. The preservation of their culture and knowledge is our ongoing priority and with the help of other visionaries, we hope to help sustain this treasured tradition.
“It has been a custom for the women to help each other with the weaving and spinning, entertaining themselves with jokes, stories, clever dialogue and occasionally a little gossip as their husbands work the land.»
Fray Diego de Landa, Landa’s Relación de las cosas de Yucatán: A translation ca. 1566
Over 1,400 years ago, the Mayan people discovered henequen, a plant indigenous to Yucatán, México. By crushing the leaves, they extracted a strong white fiber that could be used for everyday items, like fabric, bags, hammocks, nets and ropes. Centuries later, the sansevieria plant was introduced to the Yucatan; these fibers were found to be softer and finer than henequen, making it an ideal material for thread making. Henequen and sansevieria plant fibers are not only resilient and strong, but luminous. No one fiber is the same, adding to the aesthetic beauty of a nature made design. Each henequen textile is woven on a back strap loom, and ancient tool, specially designed for weaving plant fibers. Sansevieria fibers are spun by hand with the help of a bicycle wheel, a modern day version of a very old technique.
Over 1,400 years ago, the Mayan people discovered henequen, a plant indigenous to Yucatán, México. By crushing the leaves, they extracted a strong white fiber that could be used for everyday items, like fabric, bags, hammocks, nets and ropes. Centuries later, the sansevieria plant was introduced to the Yucatan; these fibers were found to be softer and finer than henequen, making it an ideal material for thread making. Henequen and sansevieria plant fibers are not only resilient and strong, but luminous. No one fiber is the same, adding to the aesthetic beauty of a nature made design. Each henequen textile is woven on a back strap loom, and ancient tool, specially designed for weaving plant fibers. Sansevieria fibers are spun by hand with the help of a bicycle wheel, a modern day version of a very old technique.