Oaxacan Textiles & Embroidery

In Precolonial Mexico, The Zapoetec Indians of Southern Mexico had already cultivated cotton, spinning fibers, and dyeing them with natural dyes made from plants, insects and minerals. These traditions and skills were inherited generationally, learned from their ancestors and it continues on to today. 

Oaxaca city houses the textile museum which showcases both contemporary and traditional Mexican textiles. Right outside of Oaxaca City is Teotitlan Del Valle, a village which houses many family-operated weaving workshops. These houses maintain the pre colonial traditions of using natural materials and natural dyes. One of these dyes include Cochineal, a dye that comes from a cactus-eating insect that is commonly found in Oaxaca.

Oaxacan embroidered blouses and dresses are created in San Antonino Velasco and neighboring San Juan Chilateca. Cotton cloth is produced in the Xochimilco section of Oaxaca City and the pueblo of Mitla. 

San Antonino Velasco styles of embroidery has been widely popularized in American fashion, dating back to the 70s with the popularity of bohemian fashion. The most traditional and most popular style is in white cotton, but there are a variety of options such as blue, purple, pink, green, orange, black, etc. The embroidered flowers are either all monochromatic or multi-colored.

These fashions are commonly worn in San Antonio, especially around Fiesta.

 

Shop our San Antonino Velasco collections.