Josefina is head of operations for our textile production and the leader of her family-run business. Traditionally, weaving has been a craft passed down to men, but since Josefina was an only child, she carries on the tradition in her family. She has two daughters who are also learning the traditions of weaving and natural dyeing.

Hermelinda in Josefina's mother. She is responsible for preparing the wool before it is woven, a process that includes washing, carding, spinning, and dyeing. She also tends the garden that grows the plants used for natural dyeing.

Angelica is Josefina's eldest daughter. She participates in the family business by weaving smaller textiles, like our coasters, and by cooking traditional Oaxacan food. To support her daughters passion, Josefina recently expanded their home to include a patio space for Angelica to serve food to visitors of the families workshop. 

Juanita is a master basket weaver known for her gorgeous designs and superb weaving techniques. She and her huband, Juan, operate the family business from the Mixtec Region of Oaxaca where they act as community organizers, giving work to hundreds of weavers in the region.

Tía Máxi is Juanita's right hand. She is a talented basket weaver with a wealth of knowledge in weaving patterns and the raw material, palm leaves.

Araceli has been an integral part of the team because she is the one who connected us all. Araceli is a lover of all artisan made crafts and has relationships with artisans all over Oaxaca. She’s learned how to weave on the back strap loom and finalized our textiles with her embroidery work.

A trailblazer in the craft of candle making, Viviana single handedly transformed this tradition from an unpaid contribution to the Catholic Church into a thriving business. Read more about Viviana's inspirational story on our candle product pages.

Viviana's daughter in law, Guillermina leads production of their beeswax candles. She and husband Roman, have four children and they all live together with Viviana in the same house the candles are made.

Ana Maria and her daughters run one of the most well know pottery studios in Oaxaca, Taller Coatlicue. Their innocative designs are beloved by many. Ana has nine children, eight of which work making pottery.

Ana Beatriz is Ana Maria's daughter and her right hand in production for Taller Coatlicue. She made the bowls in our tiny bowl collection.

Wendy owns the leather workshop that puts the finishing touches on our baskets. She only hires women, often single mothers, like herself, to work for her. She has a talking parrot named Paco.

Laura and Wendy are live long friends who now work together in the leather workshop. Known as Chuly, she's hilarious, tough, never stops talking, and knows how to get things done. We couldn't love her more.

Stephanie is the founder of Tierra y Mano. She started this project in 2018 to be in service of creative women and to bring together a breadth of life experiences. Born to a Brazilian mother and a US American father, Stephanie cares deeply about the environment, women’s issues, and the preservation of American folk art. She speaks four languages fluently and now lives in Oaxaca with her dog, Luna.

Gabi is a multi-disciplinary artist from Mallorca, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean. She designs many of our textiles, and acts as a contributing thought partner. Her background in interior design alongside her deep connection to the earth make her textile designs a unique, ethereal addition to any home. In her free time, Gabi enjoys taking long walks from her home in Deiá with her dog, Malibu.

Thaïs is a Spanish artist and creator based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She does our US based fulfillment and the carpentry for our wooden hangers. Her cultural background and studies in art have sparked her passion for crafts, especially textiles. She loves living and creating in the desert with her husband, Graham and her dog, Tom.