Handwoven Striped Cotton Scarf in Wisteria from Guatemala, "Youthful Spring"

“My name is Candelaria Julajuj Mendoza; I was born in Sololá, Guatemala, in 1985. I dedicate myself to making waist loom products, an art I learned from a very young age with my mother. I loved seeing my mom weaving; at a young age, I observed every little step she took. At first I only watched and memorized everything, but little by little I was encouraged to do my own things. It was quite a challenge; everything was trial and error, but I was gaining experience, and now it is 20 years that I have been doing this.”

Candelaria is a happy, hard-working person with a beautiful charisma. Now she has her own business, which allows her to work from home without neglecting her children. She can provide them with all the attention and education they need, since she knows perfectly well that these are key moments to them and it is essential that she guides them in every step of life.

“I would love for my business to grow, because in this way the production would increase and I could provide work for many more women weavers in my community, who so far have not found an opportunity to exploit this talent that for many is inborn.

“Every piece I make, I really do it with a lot of love. I have trained myself in different areas to be able to offer my clients a unique product, with good prices, and of good quality, because I love the idea that it might be used anywhere in the world. My products carry years of family tradition, a tradition that we care for and value very much, and we hope that our children feel proud of this legacy.

“I ask God to bless each of my future customers. I would like them to know that they are not only buying something nice, but they are also economically supporting families that totally depend on this to give our children a better future.” .