• Adrian

    Adrian lives and works in Jalisco, Mexico. He works with 4 other members of his family to create and sell hand woven plastic bags. Adrian’s family has been making artisan bags for over 5 years. He told us, “The best part of my job is when a client asks for a specific bag design or color. My family works hard to create a bag the customer will love. When we deliver the order, I am happy seeing the smiles and expressions on my customer’s faces. It shows me that my work is appreciated.” Adrian’s goals for his business are to continue growing and increasing sales. He is constantly looking for ways to improve his designs and loves getting to know new people through his work. 

    Recently, Mexico and other countries banned the use of non-reusable plastic bags. Artists, like Adrian, dedicated their work to becoming part of the solution. Each bag is handmade using highly durbale plastic. The colors and designs are bold and represent many different aspects of the Mexican culture.

  • Maria

    Meet Maria. Maria is from Chiapas, Mexico. Textiles and crafts from Chiapas often demonstrate a combination of the states ancestral culture with the artistic sense of some of its ethnic groups such as the Mayas, Zoques or Lacandones.  Maria has been creating handicrafts in Chiapas since she was 7 years old. She works with the women in her family to create beautiful, handwoven pieces of art. Maria stated, “I love getting to work with my family every day. Sometimes we work long hours, but we work with family.” 

    Maria and her family often go to local, open-air markets called “tianguis” to sell their crafts. She told us the best part of her job is getting to see how much people love her products. Maria hopes to one day open her own shop full of beautiful, artisan gifts.  She wants her store to feature her products and all of the crafts made from the neighbors in her community.