The Denim Sololá (Guatemala Collection)
The Denim Sololá (Guatemala Collection)
Guatemala has long captivated textile lovers around the world. Their vibrant and beautiful textiles, which are really Maya textiles, are rooted in centuries of weaving tradition. For our Guatemala Collection, we worked with a Fair Trade organization dedicated to providing economic and educational opportunities to Maya women so that they can bring their families out of extreme poverty and keep their cherished Maya culture alive.
The Denim Sololá from this collection showcases a fair trade, handwoven textile made with recycled denim thread. A beautiful array of cool blues to slip on for sunny days. It’s never been so good to have the blues.
Be sure to read more about our artisan partners and this textile below!
DETAILS
Fair Trade textiles handwoven with recycled denim thread in Guatemala by Mayan Hands’ Chuaperol weaving group (more below). The recycled denim thread is made by a Guatemala-based business focused on natural fibres and circular manufacturing. Note: due to the handwoven nature of this textile, stripe placement may vary from pair to pair – i.e., every pair is one of a kind!
Leather lining and trim.
Supportive insole and removable footbed.
Rubber sole.
Waxed cotton laces.
Shoes made by hand and with love in a family-run factory in Portugal.
We donate 5% of each purchase from the Guatemala Collection to the Mayan Hands Education Fund, which provides scholarships to the daughters of their artisan partners.
Fit Tips: Our shoes come in whole, European sizes. The sizing is unisex. Order the size down in this model if you wear a half size (for example, order a 39 if you wear a US women’s 8.5).
THIS SHOE IS SOLD OUT. SELECT YOUR SIZE BELOW AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN IT IS BACK IN STOCK.
Textile Collaborators: Mayan Hands
Mayan Hands is celebrating 30 years as a fair trade nonprofit organization dedicated to providing economic and educational opportunities to Maya women so that they can bring their families out of extreme poverty as they continue to live within the culture they cherish. They believe that when provided economic opportunity and income over time, women can build sustainable futures for themselves, their families and communities.
Maya Weaving and Culture
Maya women love to weave, as weaving keeps them connected to their ancestors, and the sacred and cultural Maya universe. Through your fair trade purchase of their fine handmade products, you too are connected to their remarkable artisan partners and help to keep their rich cultural traditions alive.
Weavers in Chuaperol.
Textile Artisans: Chuaperol Weaving Group
The denim sololá textile was woven by the Mayan Hands weaving group in Chuaperol. This resilient group of weavers began in the midst of the Guatemalan Civil War as part of a UN project to help the women survive and support themselves. Weaving has been a reliable source of income for the families in the group throughout the 30 years that they have been working with Mayan Hands.
This style of weaving, vertical stripes with rows of jaspe (ikat) is usually seen in the tzutes, or utilitarian (usually carrying) cloths, used by women in Sololá (a department in the west of Guatemala). They can also have ceremonial use. Typically rendered in many colors, these cloths are used to carry babies when tied around the mother, vegetables and other provisions from the market (sometimes placed inside a basket, sometimes balanced on a woman's head) or, when folded and placed atop a woman's head, to shield the wearer from the sun. The Chuaperol weavers adapted these traditional designs using recycled denim thread from a Guatemala-based business focused on natural fibres and circular manufacturing.
Maria Ana. Chuaperol Co-Op Leader.
Fair Trade
Mayan Hands is a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation and is fully committed to Fair Trade Principles. They work with their artisan partners in holistic partnerships built on trust, which go beyond ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions to include environmental responsibility and respect for cultural traditions. Mayan Hands empowers their artisans to strengthen their communities and grow their businesses sustainably.
“Just as economic opportunity for women can lift families out of extreme poverty, educational opportunity for girls can break the cycle of poverty.
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