Introducing: ixöq

(ee-sh-auk)

Introducing ixöq (ee-sh-auk), which means “woman” in the Mayan dialects Kaqchikel and T’zutujil– a women-owned and operated social enterprise working with local women artisans in Guatemala to create unique, ethically made, locally sourced, fair trade products. What began as a love for Guatemalan textiles quickly evolved into something more– a collaborative platform to support artisans, celebrate tradition and design with purpose. Founded with a deep respect for culture and craft, ixöq partners with women in rural Guatemala to create handwoven baskets, totes and storage pieces using locally sourced recycled plastic and upcycled Mayan textiles. Blending traditional techniques with thoughtful, modern design, the brand is as much about empowerment and sustainability as it is about beauty and utility.

We spoke with the team at ixöq to learn more about their journey, their artisans and how they’re redefining what it means to make goods by hand. Read on for our Q&A with the brand.

Q&A with ixöq

Kassatex: What inspired you to start your company, and how did you begin working with artisans?
ixöq: In a nutshell we fell in love with the culture and the beautiful textiles you see all over Guatemala and wanted to find a way to share this with others. ixöq allowed us to highlight the craft and help boost the livelihoods of artisans we met. We saw beauty in their products and value in sharing their cultural heritage with an audience broader than those fortunate enough to travel to Central America. We established ixöq with a focus on respect for the artisans, and a way to honor their culture but also as a way of bringing our own creativity to the process. We design products that are modeled on traditional designs but also are new in concept based on trends and needs of a growing audience.

Kassatex: What traditional techniques do your artisans use that make your products unique?
ixöq: Guatemala is known for its woven textiles, primarily produced on a backstrap or pedal loom. This technique was extended for use in making sturdy ‘market bags’ woven from recycled plastic cord. The weaving method is similar in that it is performed on a wooden frame but with the baskets, totes and other containers the frame is multi-dimensional to create a 4 sided or round vessel, ideal for carrying or storing things. This technique has been used for decades to weave the baskets that are traditionally used at produce markets.

Kassatex: How has working with artisans influenced your brand’s design philosophy?
ixöq: When we first started working with the artisans, the goal was to share our love for the market totes we use in Guatemala, to create a high quality, useful product from sustainable materials, and to provide employment opportunities to women artisans. We initially didn’t stray from their traditional patterns as our focus was more on modifying the process to create a high quality and reliable product. Once we were happy with the product quality, we quickly realized the value of introducing a more honed design aesthetic to audiences outside of Guatemala. We were fortunate in that the group we found to work with was just learning this weaving technique so they were open to experimenting with new designs and products that work well with the recycled plastic material. Given this, we and our partner artisans have grown together. We have learned about the process of creation, the balance of work and family in a traditional Mayan culture, the empowerment the women feel in working and sharing their craft, and the importance of mutual respect. They have learned the processes of business and inventory management, the importance of product consistency and quality expectations, and the value of establishing a brand to help build demand and facilitate distribution. Our story is embedded in their story and we continue to work on ways to further weave these stories together and share them with our customers.

Kassatex: What impact has your business had on the artisan communities you work with?
ixöq: The work the women artisans do with ixöq allows them to support themselves and contribute to their families as well as learn or perfect a traditional craft and improve their livelihoods. We began by partnering with a few women in two different groups. As we’ve grown these groups have grown and they have trained additional artisans. We now provide work to 20-30 women. Each artisan has a different skill that she has been able to hone. The work that the artisans have sustained from ixöq has provided a steady source of income and has empowered women artisans to play a bigger role in supporting their families and community.

Kassatex: What excites you most about the future of artisan-made goods in today’s market?
ixöq: I am mostly excited about the growing awareness of the beauty and sustainability of handmade. These products are made to endure and to be appreciated. They are the antithesis of fast-fashion. As more and more people realize that great value lies in spending a little more for a lot higher quality, we will see a shift away from the wasted money spent on increasingly disposable goods.

Commitment to Sustainability

ixöq’s mission and values are centered on sustainable practices. The cord used in our cesta totes and boxi storage containers is locally sourced (in Guatemala) recycled plastic. The fabric we use is up-cycled fabric (tela) woven using traditional jaspe (haspeh) thread. These tela are traditionally used as women’s skirts in Mayan communities and repurposed for a variety of uses including our custom lined totes and storage boxes. In addition to using green materials we also follow sustainable production processes. Our products are all handwoven following traditional weaving practices. The molds used are handmade by local carpenters. All of our decisions and practices are made with the artisans and their community in mind. ixöq adheres to the principles of sustainable fashion, ecological design and sourcing, and ethical production.