Join Our Natural Dye Workshops
Discover the art of natural dyeing in Oaxaca with Elsa
Our studio
Welcome to our page, if you are planning to visit Oaxaca, consider visiting our studio-shop or joining one of our activities during your stay.
We are Elsa Sánchez and Eric Chávez, our Taller Teñido A Mano project started in the City of Oaxaca in the year 2013. Eric is a weaver from Teotitlán del Valle and has had a personal interest in natural dyes since 2001, which led him to research and experiment on his own the use of natural colors on fibers, Elsa shares this passion and started working with natural dyes in 2011. Since then, they have been collaborating and teaching workshops with other artisans, designers and brands from Mexico and other countries.
Our mission is promote the use of natural colorants and its sustainable practice, focusing in the use of local materials, how to recycle dye baths, conscious usage of water and appreciation for the uniqueness of a small production.
Our natural dye workshops
Join one of our private workshops to learn about the use of natural dyes. We aim to help you understand how the natural color works on the fibers. During our hands-on sessions you will gain a solid basis that will allow you to experiment on your own with your local dye materials.
Natural colors change with time and exposure to the light, in our studio, it´s important to pay attention to the whole mordanting and dyeing process to improve color fastness. We offer a variety of programs for people interested in learning about Oaxaca's hand made textiles, the stories behind them, and craftsmanship of natural colors. Choose between a 1, 2 or 3 natural dye workshop in one of our studios with Elsa.
Our textiles
Our rugs are are woven by hand with natural wool fiber, all done with the tapestry weaving technique. Each one has a story to tell, a color palette of natural dyes and original designs.
Our designs
The designs and patterns often reflect our region's history and cultural heritage. Some are passed down from older generations, others are inspired by myths, legends, and our daily life. In our studio we are in constant exploration and experimentation starting with the color, we love making abstractions from landscapes and the traditional designs to create contemporary pieces. The results are unique textiles that celebrate nature's beauty.
Working with color
We only work with natural dyes, and love combining colors to create a natural harmony. From nature to our dye kitchen, we take inspiration from hundreds of yarn swatches in our studio and establish color palettes to produce one-of-a-kind rugs one at a time. We intend to share with you our traditions and heritage through our work.
The weaving process
The weaving process is time consuming and requires skill. To complete a rug from beginning to end could take months of work.
Starting with the selection of the wool, we buy wool already spun from the highlands from Oaxaca and Puebla.
Then, preparing wool for dyeing consists in carefully washing and mordanting the wool to prevent it from shocking it and achieving fastness in the color.
How to buy one of our textiles?
Our production is entirely hand-crafted one piece at a time, resulting in a slow textile creation with minimal environmental impact. We encourage you to contact us directly to request a quotation and production timeframe, we will gladly answer all of your inquiries. You can also choose from our online catalogue and we will send you a quote. We specialize in custom orders and ship to the United States and Canada.
ABOUT US
Elsa and Eric have collaborated with local and international dyers, artists and brands.
Learn more about their professional backgrounds and experience in the world of textiles.
