Handmade Textiles Lake Atitlan Guatemala are found Tucked on the southern shoreline of Lake Atitlan is the indigenous village of San Juan La Laguna.  Of the ten thousand residents in San Juan 95 percent of the population is comprised of Tz’utujil, one of the 21 Maya ethnic groups that live in Guatemala.

In the Village of San Juan using the back loom method of weaving the Weaving Cooperatives produce purses, bags, shawls, scarves, huipiles, serapes, tablecloths, place mats, napkins, cushions, bedspreads, hammocks, and many more items.

Today the primary market for these producers is based on the tourism industry of the Lake Atitlan region. A few NGO’s Non Profit Government Organizations purchase products from these producers.

A few Etsy sites offer products from Guatemala producers. However these products offered on Etsy are a poor representation of what we would call mainstream products.

Culturally the producers lack access to the internet to sell their products, funds to develop a website, have no method of on-line payments systems, and in general lack access to the tools that you as an Etsy Store owner have.

Our relationship or role with the producers of these products has grown over the years due in part to our tour operation in Guatemala that delivers buyers as part of tours to the weavers locations.

Handmade Textiles Lake Atitlan Guatemala History

Guatemalan Weaving is a part of the history, culture and clothing worn by indigenous men and woman of Guatemala. Throughout Guatemala the indigenous women use a back strap weaving method and small hand looms to produce amazing and brilliant clothing and accessories.

Handmade Textiles Lake Atitlan Guatemala  100 Percent Organic Process

In the village of San Juan La Laguna the the weavers use natural dyeing techniques that have been passed down through the generation.

• Natural dyes are dyes or colorants derived from plants, invertebrates, or minerals.
• The majority from fermented prickly pear cactus fruit, Opuntia polyacantha.
• Guatemalan weavers also use rainwater and red dirt to create salmon-pink dyes.
• The roots, bark, leaves, berries, wood, and insects each produce a different colour and hue.
• The plants, coconut shell, pericón, pepper, purple basil, hibiscus flowers, and achiote.
• The finished products are Machine Washable, Stain Resistant and Colour Fast.

Quality and Margins

• When we state handmade one needs to understand the time involved to produce a single Scarf.
• This does not include the preparation time of the Yarns used.
• A woman sites on the ground and weaves the detail of the final Scarf taking 4 Days.
• Tourist pays $10 US at the weavers shop.
• On-line knock off, Chinese and Mexican sell for $60 US.

Handmade Textiles Lake Atitlan Guatemala Designs and Styles

• From any design supplied the weavers will produce one-offs or longer runs.
• Currently hundred of styles and designs of purses, bags, shawls, scarves, huipiles, serapes, tablecloths, place mats, napkins, cushions, bedspreads, and hammocks exist in Inventory.

Margins

Through our research we have found identical products that sell for Q250 (Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)) which converts to $33.00 US sold on-line for $300.00 US.

Shipping

• We currently bundle products and ship in bulk using UPS.
• Individual products are shipped using Courier service from Guatemala to the US and other Countries.

Our Role

Our role is simple put you together with the weavers, help manage the process of orders, shipping and help you with the on-line marketing, the correct SEO copy, keywords and tags.

What is needed is you, the Etsy store owner

Thank you on behalf our family in Guatemala.
Please consider this business opportunity.
We hope to here from you shortly.

Future posts we will discuss artists, painters, leather and ceramics from Lake Atitlan Guatemala.