Guatemala, January 2018. After more than twenty years using exclusively their own harvested cotton as raw material for handwoven textiles Algodones Mayas thread is prepared to share the spotlight with upcycled denim as it has the same philosophy of eco friendly, natural, non chemical process that the Guatemalan company has.
Algodones Mayas has been planting, harvesting, processing and using cotton exclusively since its launch, becoming a self-contained company. The founders, two visionaries who wanted to preserve the cotton seeds in order to keep the colors intact, gave this raw material to local weavers of different rural communities of the country so that they, in turn, applied their own patterns and transformed it through ancestral foot loom and back-strap loom techniques into pillows and throws of singular softness.
Throughout the years, those patterns have been modified to accommodate new trends and designs for the modern homes. The original retail store is frequented by locals and visitors who admire the same natural color cotton in shades of beige, brown and olive in pillows, rugs, throws, placemats, table runners, kimonos, shawls, scarves and other textile products.
Two years ago, “The new denim project” appeared as a key player in innovation in the textile industry and green thread so they were invited by Algodones Mayas to experiment in combining upcycled denim in its different shades with natural color cotton and creating new designs for the consumer that appreciates the eco friendly product that is produced now with the same handwoven ancestral techniques.
“This year for the first time, every textile piece presented in NY NOW has upcycled denim in it.” Said Luisa Villavicencio, descendant of the founders and CEO of Algodones Mayas. “We’re proud to preserve the natural, eco luxury, sustainable and natural ideology that has been the company’s core business since the beginning”.