Still time! Brighten your holiday season with a stunning selection of handmade clothing from Oaxaca and Chiapas — to wear or to gift. We offer 11 pieces today. Get it before 12/24 (depending on the post office) — order today. I will mail within 24 hours of your purchase.
How to Buy: Send me an email to tell me which item(s) you want BY NUMBER and by name of item. Send me your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Tell me if you want to purchase using a Zelle transfer or a credit card. If you use a credit card, we add a 4% service fee. There is no extra fee for using Zelle. If you want Zelle, please tell me how your Zelle account is registered. For mailing, I will add a $14 packing and mailing charge.
I will calculate discount and send a funds request. Thank you!
#1. B&W Table Cloth
#1. Holiday Table Dressing. A tablecloth handwoven on the flying shuttle loom in Oaxaca, this black and white pattern measures 96″ long x 54″ wide — big enough for a table with 10 chairs! 100% cotton. Hand-tied fringes. Machine wash and dry. $125
#2. Turquoise Square Neck Blouse
#2. Turquoise Square Neck Blouse with hand-embroidered details. This design is traditional on the Oaxaca coast, found everywhere from the ocean to the mountains. The embroidery work is exceptional and dense, executed on high quality Mexican cotton cloth called manta. Measures 23″ wide x 26″ long. $95.
#4. Gauze Weave, Coban, Guatemala
SOLD. #4. This is the most finely woven garment made on the back strap loom that we know about, coming from the Guatemala-Mexico border, woven by Mayan women in the town of Coban (where we will visit on our upcoming Guatemala tour). Lightweight for summer. Beautifully crafted. Measures 26″ wide x 36″ long. Underpriced at $195.
#5. Coral Linen Embroidered Blouse
#5. Fine Italian linen is embroidered and finished in San Cristobal de las Casas by one of the best cooperatives we have found. Machine wash. Hang to dry. Iron on medium heat. A great and festive layering piece, too. Measures 24″ wide x 26″ long. $165
#6. White on White with Purple Snail Dye Blouse
#6. Woven on the back strap loom in Pinotepa de Don Luis, Oaxaca, high above the coast. It is trimmed with cotton threads dyed with caracol purpura, the rare purple snail dye. High quality industrial cotton from the State of Puebla. Machine wash cold/gentle. Hang to dry. Measures 22″ wide x 26″ long. $165
#7. Mixteca Alta Embroidered Blouse – Wine$21×26. $72
#7. Along the Dominican Route high in the Mixteca Alta (we have space on this spring tour) we find weaving and embroidery villages doing exceptional work. This is a locally designed and embroidered blouse in manta cotton, embellished with a floral motif done in wine-colored threads. 100% cotton. Machine wash. Hang to dry. Measures 21″ wide x 26″ long. $68
#8 Cheery Cherry Blusa
#8. Cheery Cherry Embroidered Blouse. Same blouse as above, just in cherry colored embroidery. Sam measurements. $68
#9. Checkerboard Poncho
#9. Casa Textil in San Cristobal de las Casas designed this open-front, open-sided poncho with the weavers of San Juan Cancuc using the finest cotton materials. Terrific holiday dressing or any time during the year. The geometry of the design and the precision are outstanding. 100% cotton. Measures 35″ wide x 27″ long. $235
#10 Top It Off Apron 19 c 30 $95
#10. Not far from where I live in the Tlacolula Valley is the apron village of San Miguel del Valle. They work free hand on an embroidery sewing machine to create these dense floral designs. This one is an eye-popper! Dare to be bold this holiday season. Dress up your cooking preparations with this amazing apron. Machine wash and dry. Measures 19″ wide x 30″ long. Ties in back. $95
#11. Flower Garden Apron
#11. Rust Red Flower Garden Apron measures 17″ wide x 30″ long. Size S-XS. Buttons and ties in the back. A cacaphony of color, this exquisitely embroidered apron is perfect for holiday entertaining. $85
#12. Hand-woven on the back strap loom, this 100% cotton cloth is dyed with alderwood, then meticulously sewn into a pullover shirt. It measures 24″ wide x 25″ long. The sleeves are 18″ long from the shoulder seam — stylish when rolled up, too. $65
Thank you for looking and shopping. I’m happy to combine more than one purchase into one mailing package to save mailing costs!
Brighten your holiday season with a stunning selection of handmade clothing from Oaxaca and Chiapas — to wear or to gift. We offer 11 pieces today. Get it before 12/24 (depending on the post office) — order today. I will mail within 24 hours of your purchase.
How to Buy: Send me an email to tell me which item(s) you want BY NUMBER and by name of item. Send me your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Tell me if you want to purchase using a Zelle transfer or a credit card. If you use a credit card, we add a 4% service fee. There is no extra fee for using Zelle. If you want Zelle, please tell me how your Zelle account is registered. For mailing, I will add a $14 packing and mailing charge.
I will calculate discount and send a funds request. Thank you!
#1. B&W Table Cloth
#1. Holiday Table Dressing. A tablecloth handwoven on the flying shuttle loom in Oaxaca, this black and white pattern measures 96″ long x 54″ wide — big enough for a table with 10 chairs! 100% cotton. Hand-tied fringes. Machine wash and dry. $125
#2. Turquoise Square Neck Blouse
#2. Turquoise Square Neck Blouse with hand-embroidered details. This design is traditional on the Oaxaca coast, found everywhere from the ocean to the mountains. The embroidery work is exceptional and dense, executed on high quality Mexican cotton cloth called manta. Measures 23″ wide x 26″ long. $95.
#4. Gauze Weave, Coban, Guatemala
#4. This is the most finely woven garment made on the back strap loom that we know about, coming from the Guatemala-Mexico border, woven by Mayan women in the town of Coban (where we will visit on our upcoming Guatemala tour). Lightweight for summer. Beautifully crafted. Measures 26″ wide x 36″ long. Underpriced at $195.
#5. Coral Linen Embroidered Blouse
#5. Fine Italian linen is embroidered and finished in San Cristobal de las Casas by one of the best cooperatives we have found. Machine wash. Hang to dry. Iron on medium heat. A great and festive layering piece, too. Measures 24″ wide x 26″ long. $165
#6. White on White with Purple Snail Dye Blouse
#6. Woven on the back strap loom in Pinotepa de Don Luis, Oaxaca, high above the coast. It is trimmed with cotton threads dyed with caracol purpura, the rare purple snail dye. High quality industrial cotton from the State of Puebla. Machine wash cold/gentle. Hang to dry. Measures 22″ wide x 26″ long. $165
#7. Mixteca Alta Embroidered Blouse – Wine$21×26. $72
#7. Along the Dominican Route high in the Mixteca Alta (we have space on this spring tour) we find weaving and embroidery villages doing exceptional work. This is a locally designed and embroidered blouse in manta cotton, embellished with a floral motif done in wine-colored threads. 100% cotton. Machine wash. Hang to dry. Measures 21″ wide x 26″ long. $68
#8 Cheery Cherry Blusa
#8. Cheery Cherry Embroidered Blouse. Same blouse as above, just in cherry colored embroidery. Sam measurements. $68
#9. Checkerboard Poncho
#9. Casa Textil in San Cristobal de las Casas designed this open-front, open-sided poncho with the weavers of San Juan Cancuc using the finest cotton materials. Terrific holiday dressing or any time during the year. The geometry of the design and the precision are outstanding. 100% cotton. Measures 35″ wide x 27″ long. $235
#10 Top It Off Apron 19 c 30 $95
#10. Not far from where I live in the Tlacolula Valley is the apron village of San Miguel del Valle. They work free hand on an embroidery sewing machine to create these dense floral designs. This one is an eye-popper! Dare to be bold this holiday season. Dress up your cooking preparations with this amazing apron. Machine wash and dry. Measures 19″ wide x 30″ long. Ties in back. $95
#11. Flower Garden Apron
#11. Rust Red Flower Garden Apron measures 17″ wide x 30″ long. Size S-XS. Buttons and ties in the back. A cacaphony of color, this exquisitely embroidered apron is perfect for holiday entertaining. $85
#12. Hand-woven on the back strap loom, this 100% cotton cloth is dyed with alderwood, then meticulously sewn into a pullover shirt. It measures 24″ wide x 25″ long. The sleeves are 18″ long from the shoulder seam — stylish when rolled up, too. $65
Thank you for looking and shopping. I’m happy to combine more than one purchase into one mailing package to save mailing costs!
December 12 is recognized throughout Mexico as a Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, when she appeared as an apparition and miraculously changed the course of history in Latin America. In Oaxaca today, there will be parades and masses and people lighting votive candles to honor the woman who symbolically brought indigenous peoples under the fold of Catholicism brought by the Conquest.
If you are in Oaxaca and want to participate in observances, here is the link https://maps.app.goo.gl/oWm8RmQteTSHqi8j6 to get you to the Iglesia de Guadalupe (Guadalupe church).
My friend Linda Hanna who has been a Oaxaca textile maven for years, celebrates with an annual gathering at her home in Huayapam. Invited participants create a Virgin from piles of findings — fabrics, ribbons, buttons bric a brac, amulets, and milagros. Some years back, Linda worked with weavers, embroiderers and dyers from throughout Mexico to recreate images of the Virgin of Guadalupe in cloth — clothing, wall hangings, table coverings. It was spectacular and there is a book dedicated to what was created and the artisans who contributed.
Guadalupe is NOT a saint. She is Our Lady of Guadalupe, Giver of Miracles. She is more popular than Mary, Jesus, or any other dieties in Mexico. In fact, she is celebrated in the Spanish-speaking world where the Conquest aimed to convert indigenous people to the new religion. She became the embodiment of Mary, but much more important because she blends the old beliefs with the new — called syncretism.
In pre-Hispanic Mexico, she is Corn Goddess. She is Mother Earth. Protectress. She is Tonantzin. Guadalupe, or Lupita as many call her, sings to us as a spiritual symbol, especially for women. She is Queen, robed in finery, but also of the people.
I’ve written a lot about the Virgin of Guadalupe. If you want to know more, please click on these links.
A symbol of identity and resistance, especially during the Mexican Revolution
A unifying figure, blending cultures
Celebrated with pilgrimages, religious services, dances, music and cultural festivities
For women, the Virgin of Guadalupe symbolizes strength, identity, hope, and protection. Her image transcends religion, and that is why she appeals to so many women worldwide. She is an emblem in social and political contexts, seen as a compassionate and loving mother who understands struggles and provides comfort. She is believed to watch over and protect families. As a symbol of feminine strength, she offers an alternative to colonialism. As a symbol of endurance, she speaks to women who struggle against poverty, violence, and marginalization. She has been reframed by contemporary writers as a figure of defiance and transformation. Activists have reclaimed her as a protector of marginalized and oppressed women.
This is why it is palatable to embrace, honor, respect, and light a candle for the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is not a religious symbol to me, but one that speaks to social justice and advocacy for equality.
The Collection Sales continues, with most pieces priced at or below cost. Brighten your holiday season with a stunning selection of handmade clothing from Oaxaca — to wear or to gift. We offer 12 pieces today. Be sure to scroll down to see them all.
How to Buy: Send me an email to tell me which item(s) you want BY NUMBER and by name of item. Send me your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Tell me if you want to purchase using a Zelle transfer or a credit card. If you use a credit card, we add a 4% service fee. There is no extra fee for using Zelle. If you want Zelle, please tell me how your Zelle account is registered. For mailing, I will add a $14 packing and mailing charge. I am NOT putting these items for sale in the SHOP — only here!
Please purchase before December 18, 2024, when I’ll be preparing for the winter holidays and returning to Oaxaca for several months.
Thank you!
#1. B&W Table Cloth
#1. Holiday Table Dressing. A tablecloth handwoven on the flying shuttle loom in Oaxaca, this black and white pattern measures 96″ long x 54″ wide — big enough for a table with 10 chairs! 100% cotton. Hand-tied fringes. Machine wash and dry. $125
#2. Turquoise Square Neck Blouse
#2. Turquoise Square Neck Blouse with hand-embroidered details. This design is traditional on the Oaxaca coast, found everywhere from the ocean to the mountains. The embroidery work is exceptional and dense, executed on high quality Mexican cotton cloth called manta. Measures 23″ wide x 26″ long. $95.
#3. Hot Pink Tlahuitoltepec Blusa
SOLD. #3. This extraordinary blusa is embroidered in the Oaxaca Sierra Norte in the village of Tlahuitoltepec. These designs are distinctive of this area and easily identifiable when worn on Oaxaca city streets. The embroidery is hand-guide by machine, making it a hybrid hand and machine process. The seamstress guides the needle without a pattern to make it. Measures 21″ wide x 25″ long. 3/4-length sleeves. $145.
#4. Gauze Weave, Coban, Guatemala
#4. This is the most finely woven garment made on the back strap loom that we know about, coming from the Guatemala-Mexico border, woven by Mayan women in the town of Coban (where we will visit on our upcoming Guatemala tour). Lightweight for summer. Beautifully crafted. Measures 26″ wide x 36″ long. Underpriced at $195.
#5. Coral Linen Embroidered Blouse
#5. Fine Italian linen is embroidered and finished in San Cristobal de las Casas by one of the best cooperatives we have found. Machine wash. Hang to dry. Iron on medium heat. A great and festive layering piece, too. Measures 24″ wide x 26″ long. $165
#6. White on White with Purple Snail Dye Blouse
#6. Woven on the back strap loom in Pinotepa de Don Luis, Oaxaca, high above the coast. It is trimmed with cotton threads dyed with caracol purpura, the rare purple snail dye. High quality industrial cotton from the State of Puebla. Machine wash cold/gentle. Hang to dry. Measures 22″ wide x 26″ long. $165
#7. Mixteca Alta Embroidered Blouse – Wine$21×26. $72
#7. Along the Dominican Route high in the Mixteca Alta (we have space on this spring tour) we find weaving and embroidery villages doing exceptional work. This is a locally designed and embroidered blouse in manta cotton, embellished with a floral motif done in wine-colored threads. 100% cotton. Machine wash. Hang to dry. Measures 21″ wide x 26″ long. $68
#8 Cheery Cherry Blusa
#8. Cheery Cherry Embroidered Blouse. Same blouse as above, just in cherry colored embroidery. Sam measurements. $68
#9. Checkerboard Poncho
#9. Casa Textil in San Cristobal de las Casas designed this open-front, open-sided poncho with the weavers of San Juan Cancuc using the finest cotton materials. Terrific holiday dressing or any time during the year. The geometry of the design and the precision are outstanding. 100% cotton. Measures 35″ wide x 27″ long. $235
#10 Top It Off Apron 19 c 30 $95
#10. Not far from where I live in the Tlacolula Valley is the apron village of San Miguel del Valle. They work free hand on an embroidery sewing machine to create these dense floral designs. This one is an eye-popper! Dare to be bold this holiday season. Dress up your cooking preparations with this amazing apron. Machine wash and dry. Measures 19″ wide x 30″ long. Ties in back. $95
#11. Flower Garden Apron
#11. Rust Red Flower Garden Apron measures 17″ wide x 30″ long. Size S-XS. Buttons and ties in the back. A cacaphony of color, this exquisitely embroidered apron is perfect for holiday entertaining. $85
#12. Hand-woven on the back strap loom, this 100% cotton cloth is dyed with alderwood, then meticulously sewn into a pullover shirt. It measures 24″ wide x 25″ long. The sleeves are 18″ long from the shoulder seam — stylish when rolled up, too. $65
Thank you for looking and shopping. I’m happy to combine more than one purchase into one mailing package to save mailing costs!
We haven’t had any snow in Northern New Mexico since I arrived on November 19. It’s been sunny and unseasonably warm, with temperatures rising to the low 50’s. Great walking weather. At night, it dips down to the 30’s, just perfect for sleeping. I’m returning to Oaxaca on December 30, in time for our January 2, 2025, Women’s Creative Writing Workshop Retreat (we can accommodate one more person, if you are a last-minute decider!). My plan is to return to NM in early April to do my taxes and then go back until July. This is driven by (primarily) politics and climate. Since I’ve removed myself from WAPO and NYT alerts, and selectively reading Bulwark commentators, I’ve been feeling very calm. Mostly, I’m in a self-imposed news black hole. I know I have my head in the sand and one of these days, I’ll take it out and re-emerge into the world of fighting for justice, equality, and women’s health. For now, I’m content to look west out my kitchen window at the Rio Grande Gorge and east out my living room window at Taos Mountain, just barely snow-capped.
When I got to Taos I realized how many Oaxaca and Chiapas clothes were in my collection, most that I haven’t worn! I purchased them for their beauty, intricacy of weaving techniques, fine embroidery, and use of natural dyes. I have been fortunate to have met most of the people who made these garments. They live in remote villages and their families depend on the women for extra income that pays for health care, education, and food. One of my motivators, always, has been (and continues to be) to support indigenous makers throughout Mexico who are working to preserve traditional hand work.
This week, I’ll be offering a select part of my collection for sale. Scroll down. There are 17 pieces, priced at or below cost. More to come later this week. Keep your eyes open!
How to Buy: Send me an email to tell me which item(s) you want BY NUMBER and by name of item. Send me your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Tell me if you want to purchase using a Zelle transfer or a credit card. If you use a credit card, we add a 4% service fee. There is no extra fee for using Zelle. If you want Zelle, please tell me how your Zelle account is registered. For mailing, I will add a $14 packing and mailing charge. I am NOT putting these items for sale in the SHOP — only here!
Please purchase before December 18, 2024, when I’ll be preparing for the winter holidays and returning to Oaxaca for several months.
Thank you!
#1. Feather Poncho Black and Red
#1. From the Purepecha village of Ahuiran in Michoacan, Mexico, this amazing backstrap loomed poncho is embellished with dyed turkey feathers and fringes. It is made by Albertine Bautista Caballero, as talented as her more famous (now deceased) sister Cecelia Bautista Caballero, who created this pre-Hispanic method of individually tying the feathers individually into the warp threads. Measures 30″ wide x 30″ long. Sides are open. I could say, one size fits most! Just slip it over your head. Great holiday dressing. $395
#2 Ruana, All Natural Dyes34”w c 36” long back
SOLD. #2. A ruana is a pre-Hispanic garment that is similar to a poncho, but the front is open and the back is closed. This 100% hand-woven ruana features two 17″ wide panels in the front, and the back measures 34″ across. Length is 36″ front and back. The sides are open. The front panels can hang loose or you can drape one or both across your shoulders. This piece is from San Andres Larrainzar, Chiapas, from a cooperative that does very fine work. $225
#3. Chenalho Blouse
#3. In Chenalho, Chiapas, this intricate embroidery is called dog paw. I’ve watched women do this during our visits to a cooperative on the outskirts of the village. It takes more time than you can imagine. The inset bits of color create a stained glass effect in this textile. The embroidery is on striped commercial fabric that is a combo of cotton and polyester. This is exactly what women in the village wear. They do not make anything differently for the tourist market, as many villages do. Measures 28″ wide x 22″ long. $195
#4. Jamiltepec, Oaxaca Blusa
#4. Hand embroidered and back-strap loom woven blusa from the village of Jamiltapec on the Oaxaca Coast. The fabric is embellished with figures woven into the cloth. The bodice is decorated with embroidery designs specific to this area. Measures 24″ wide x 23″ long. $65
#5 Michoacan Embroidered Blouse
#5. The cross-stitched bodice and sleeves set off this stunning blouse from Michoacan. 100% cotton. This textile is top-quality with dense and detailed hand-work. Measure 22″ wide x 27″ long. $145
#6. Dancing Figures Huipil
#6. This amazing and colorful (tangerine and pink) huipil is woven on the backstrap loom in San Juan Colorado on the Oaxaca Coast. We know about a designer who has replicated similar, calls it a kaftan and sells it online for over $750 USD. This is a fun dress to wear in summer; perfect for winter with a white heat-tech long sleeve T-shirt for extra warmth. Measures 23″ wide x 40″ long. $285
#7. San Juan Guichicovi, Oaxaca
#7. Jewel tones define this blusa embroidered in the Oaxaca Isthmus in the village San Juan Guichicovi. Yes, it’s embroidered by machine, but this is different. Each seamstress embroiderer guides the needle by hand. It’s a free-form process that we consider made by hand. Measures 19-1/2″ wide x 23-1/2″ long. $145
#8. Indigo + Wild Marigold Huipil
#8 is from one of the finest weaving villages in Oaxaca, Pinotepa de Don Luis, high in the mountains above the coast. This is a six-weft piece joined with a very intricate stitch called randa. All the figures are woven into the cloth — called supplementary weft. Woven by Monica, the daughter-in-law of the purple snail dyer Don Habacuc. Measure 26″ wide x 37″ long. $385
#9. Cockadoodle-Doo Dress
#9. There are extraordinary embroiderers in villages all along the Oaxaca coast. A traditional motif is the double-headed eagle, replicated here in the center. They are flanked by two roosters. This is all hand-work. The red ribbon adds pizzazz. Base fabric is excellent quality commercial manta cotton. Measures 22″ wide x 38″ long. $65.
#10. Black + Red Blouse from Chiapas
SOLD. #10. A graphic beauty, this all-cotton blouse is woven on the back-strap loom in San Andres Larrainzar, Chiapas, from a cooperative we have been visiting for several years. Measures 23-1/4″ wide x 27″ long. $85
#11. Khadi Oaxaca Native Cotton
SOLD. #11. Khadi Oaxaca is an innovator in Oaxaca clothing design. They use the chakra (India’s spinning wheel) to process native white and coyuchi (brown) cotton into thread for weaving. This piece combines a warp of white thread with coyuchi cotton weft. The texture and softness is amazing. Measures 26″ wide x 34″ long. $195
#12. Embroidered whimsy from the Oaxaca coast. Look at the amazing detail on the collar with all the sea and land creatures from the neighborhood. On very good quality white manta cotton. Note the ribbon embellishments. 23″ wide x 24″ long. $125
#13. Ditto from #12. A different colorway in sunshine yellow with a square collar. Measures 24″ wide x 25″ long. $125
#13. Zinacantan Reversible Open Weave Dress
#13. This dress is hand-woven on the back strap loom in Zinacantan, Chiapas. It is an open weave which adds interest and texture. Here, you have two dresses in one. It’s reversible! Cotton. Suggest machine wash on cold separately or in a mesh laundry bag. 23-1/2×38. $125
#14. Arte y Seda designed dress
SOLD 14. The Rina Dress. Rina is a weaver, dyer and designer. She is part of the Arte y Seda weaving family in Teotitlan del Valle. She designed, dyed (with wild marigold), and sewed this beautiful dress with hand-made shell button. The waist is 32” in circumference. The bodice is 22″ wide and 46” long. $165
Shawl 24 x 82 $195
#15. Fuschine dyed shawl, handwoven on the back strap loom in Santiago Ixtlayutla, near Pinotepa de Don Luis on the Oaxaca coast. Fuschine is not a natural dye but coveted by locals for its purple color. The designs in the cloth are woven with silk. This protein fiber absorbs the dye. The fabric is then carefully folded while wet so that the color intentionally bleeds mimicking the design on the cloth. Measures 24″ wide x 82″ long. $195
Dress 31×48
#16. Fuschine dye huipil, with stunning patterning woven into the cloth. Note the simple and beautifully executed randa (joining stitch). See #15 more more detailed description of the dye process. Measures 31″ wide x 48″ long. $495.
38 long x 40w. $285
SOLD. #17. It’s rare to find this hand-woven textile from the Oaxaca coast. It is no longer being woven in its village of origin. We found this in a trunk on our last visit to Pinotepa Nacional — in perfect condition. A true collector’s piece and definitely wearable. Measures 40″ wide x 38″ long. $245
We know the culture! This is our land! We are locally owned and operated.
Eric Chavez Santiago is tri-lingual --Spanish, English, Zapotec.
Eric was founding director of education, Museo Textil de Oaxaca + folk art expert
Norma Schafer has lived in Oaxaca since 2005.
Norma is a seasoned university educator.
We have deep connections with artists and artisans.
63% of our travelers repeat -- high ratings, high satisfaction.
Wide ranging expertise: textiles, folk art, pottery, cultural wisdom.
We give you a deep immersion to best know Oaxaca and Mexico.
We organize private travel + tours for museums, arts, organizations, collectors + appreciators.
Creating Connectionand Meaning between travelers and with indigenous artisans. Meet makers where they live and work. Join small groups of like-minded explorers. Go deep into remote villages. Gain insights. Support cultural heritage and sustainable traditions. Create value and memories. Enjoy hands-on experiences. Make a difference.
What is a Study Tour: Our programs are learning experiences, and as such we talk with makers about how and why they create, what is meaningful to them, the ancient history of patterning and design, use of color, tradition and innovation, values and cultural continuity, and the social context within which they work. First and foremost, we are educators. Norma worked in top US universities for over 35 years and Eric founded the education department at Oaxaca’s textile museum. We create connection.
OCN Creates Student Scholarship at Oaxaca Learning Center Giving back is a core value. Read about it here
Meet Makers. Make a Difference
Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC has offered programs in Mexico since 2006. We have over 30 years of university, textile and artisan development experience. See About Us.
Programs can be scheduled to meet your independent travel plans. Send us your available dates.
Arts organizations, museums, designers, retailers, wholesalers, curators, universities and others come to us to develop artisan relationships, customized itineraries, meetings and conferences. It's our pleasure to make arrangements.
Select Clients *Abeja Boutique, Houston *North Carolina Museum of Art *Selvedge Magazine-London, UK *Esprit Travel and Tours *Penland School of Crafts *North Carolina State University *WARP Weave a Real Peace *Methodist University *MINNA-Goods *Smockingbird Kids *University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
December 6-14: Oaxaca Textile Tour and Workshopsincluding dye and weaving workshops, Tlacolula market, spinning village visits, plus lots more. With Fiber Circle Studio, Petaluma, California. Registration open!
January 11-17, Deep Dive Into Oaxaca: Cooking, Culture + Craft.Take a cooking class and printmaking workshop, visit artisan studios, weavers, and potteries, eat street tacos, taste artisanal mezcal, shop at markets, and explore the depths. SOLD OUT
February 6-15:Guatemala Textile Study Tour: Cloth and Culture. Discover Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Panajachel, Chichicastenango Market, and visit Coban where they weave fine gauze cloth called pikbil. SOLD OUT
March 12-17: Deep Into the Mixteca Alta: Oaxaca Textile + Folk Art Study Tour 2025. This is cultural immersion at its best! Following the Dominican Route, we visit potteries, churches, Triqui weavers working in natural dyes, a cooperative in Tijaltepec that makes smocked blouses, the expansive Tlaxiaco Saturday Tianguis. Experience another side of Oaxaca.
October: Japan Folk Art and Textile Tour.ONE SPACE OPEN! Email us.
Oaxaca has the largest and most diverse textile culture in Mexico! Learn about it.
When you visit Oaxaca immerse yourself in our textile culture: How is indigenous clothing made, what is the best value, most economical, finest available. Suitable for adults only. Set your own dates.
One-Day Tours: Schedule When YOU Want to Go!
Ruta del Mezcal One-Day Tour.We start the day with a pottery master and then have lunch with a traditional Oaxaca Cook, who is the mole-making expert. In Mitla, we meet with our favorite flying shuttle loom weaver, and then finish off with a mezcal tasting at a palenque you may NEVER find on your own! Schedule at your convenience!
Teotitlan del Valle Map with select rug weavers, restaurants, village attractions
Tlacolula Market Map -- where to find food, shopping, ATMs, and more
Our Favorite Things to Do in Oaxaca -- eating, shopping, gallery hopping + more
We require 48-hour advance notice for orders to be processed. We send a printable map via email PDF after your order is received. Please be sure to send your email address. You can click here to Buy Map. After you click, you can check PayPal to double-check you included your email address. We fulfill each order personally. It is not automatic.
