Making It as Embroiderers

Synopsis

In the Tsotsil and Tseltal communities in Chiapas, Mexico, weaving and embroidering has traditionally been women’s work, practised in the home and made to be used by the family. As global demand grows for artisanal textile products, women are increasingly venturing outside their homes to sell their products, bringing them in contact with outside commercial agents, providing them with their own income, and leading to a series of transformations in their work practices, relations, and identities.