In Mexico, A Sky-full of Shibori

Nest’s Sara Otto recently returned from Mexico, where beautiful indigenous craft was a hallmark of the vibrant culture that welcomed her. Sara had the pleasure of meeting with both current and new Nest Artisan Guild businesses for Nest to support. Here are her notes from the field:

This design brand, who recently relocated its operations to Oaxaca, works with a network of artisans throughout the region and Mexico to make beautiful high quality garments, jewelry and home goods. The business is currently undergoing a re-branding and is focused on keeping its production intimate and truly artisanal, while also exploring ways to integrate innovative natural fibers into designs for more environmentally friendly and special products.

Studio Xaquixe has a hand-made glass blowing production process that uses 100% recycled glass which is collected from the community and their kilns are partially powered by waste vegetable oil from local restaurants. I met with co-founder, Christian Thorton, who gave me a tour of the workshop and gave an in-depth history of the pioneering ways the business was able to reduce energy consumption and increase productivity.

Housed in beautiful, restored hacienda outside of the city, this is a design brand that was born out of a workshop between designers and local artisans where both sides were encouraged to experience and learn the design process through play. The prototypes developed through this program, as well as designs that were then taken to the next level, are sold through the Oax-i-fornia label and the sales go to benefit the artisans who produced them.

Ndavaa is a shoe company that has its roots in the Oax-i-fornia workshop collaboration. The founder, Sarahi, whose family has been producing leather products for many years, participated as an artisan in the workshop and since has taken off with her own extensive line of sandals and shoes, which supports a small workshop, as well as various artisan clusters in the region who supply her with fabric and raw materials for her shoes.