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Tia Stephanie Tours, Cultural Specialist Operator to Mexico, Helps Tzotzil Maya Women of the Cooperative: Mujeres Sembrando la Vida (Women Planting Life) in Zinacantan, Chiapas

By Buying and Selling their Traditionally and Exquisitely Designed Fashionable, Hand-Woven Face Masks

Since the United States began opening up from three months of pandemic lockdown and businesses began requiring everyone to wear a mask in order to be served, mask wearing has become somewhat of a fashion statement. Furthermore, beyond aesthetics, masks themselves can help serve. A 60-member Women’s Cooperative in Zinacantan, Chiapas, Mexico, called Mujeres Sembrando la Vida (Women Planting Life), is now producing masks made from hand-woven and embroidered fabrics created using traditional techniques. Some are brocade woven cloth on a backstrap loom and others are embroidered on hand-woven cloth. The floral and geometric imagery are community designs, reflecting their singular cultural identity as Tzotzil Maya women from this community in the Chiapas Highlands.

“By purchasing these masks, not only are we able to sport an attractive, now necessary fashion accessory, we can also support the struggling indigenous communities and artisans in Mexico, who desperately need the funds,” explains Stephanie Schneiderman, Owner and Founder of Tia Stephanie Tours, cultural journeys to Mexico. Many of Tia Stephanie’s tours actually focus on the textile arts, and these are in fact some of the artisans visited on her tours.

As is the case throughout the world, economies have slowed down or even halted and are only just beginning to come back in a greatly reduced way. A mask purchase is just a small effort to keep some cash flow moving into this women’s coop and community. In fact, some of Tia Stephanie’s past travelers, who have now purchased masks, have even sent extra funds, and of course, Stephanie and her team are sending extra funds as well. Adds Stephanie Schneiderman, “The funds go to despensas -- food and basic items -- to the women of the coop and others, who live in remote areas in the Chiapas HIghlands.” The ethnic minorities and crafts people of Mexico live in very vulnerable conditions. Notes Stephanie, “When the economy / tourism stops, as it has, these people are impacted directly and immediately. Their already subsistence living becomes even more dire. This is not a sob story; it's the reality.”

Over the years, Tia Stephanie Tours has contributed to significant cash flow entering local communities throughout Mexico. Now, culture connoisseurs from the US, Canada and other first world countries can contribute too, while also enjoying beautiful, handmade face masks, so we can look good, while staying safe.

Mask Features:

Total of three layers
Outer layer is the design layer
Inside, there are two additional layers of commercial cotton fabric
Ties, to fit them to your face
Pre-washed
Fashionable!
Tia Stephanie Tours is the Official Conde Nast Traveler Specialist to Cultural Mexico!