![]() ![]() However, this loom can be rolled up, weaving and all, and taken almost anywhere. Also, every weaving on the backstrap loom needs to be set up individually. Very stretchy and/or fuzzy yarns are difficult to work with on a backstrap loom. The weaving width on a backstrap loom is limited to how far a weaver can reach while strapped into the loom. There are plusses and minuses to weaving on a backstrap loom. More mechanized looms like treadle looms and rigid heddle looms are much more limited in weave structures because of their mechanizations. Because the loom is so simple, there are infinite levels of intricacy that are possible. Both simple and complex textiles can be woven on the backstrap loom. The simple technology of the backstrap loom, consisting of not much more than sticks, yarn and the weavers’ body itself, is deceptively primitive. Backstrap looms, indeed, have been used throughout the world, and very early in human history. Backstrap looms were used by the ancient Maya the fact that the ancestors of these ancient Maya still use backstrap looms today speaks to this loom’s functionality and importance. ![]() It is thought that early treadle looms of China evolved from the original backstrap loom. It is known that weaving predates pottery. Cloth and looms are made of materials that easily disintegrate over time, so archeologists can only guess at the beginnings of this craft. However, it really is not known whether or not humans wove even earlier than that. It is known that humans were weaving cloth in the Stone Age in the earliest agricultural villages. It is considered, along with a simple frame loom, to be one of the original looms with which humans made cloth. INDIGART also has the dream to collaborate with indigenous backstrap loom weavers in other countries of the Americas, including Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.The backstrap loom is an ancient technology. Our production cycle is “slow,” as it can take one weaver 4-6 weeks to create a piece. ![]() Cotton can be expensive for local Guatemalans, especially for larger pieces, so the cooperatives provide the materials to make sure that the weavers do not have to purchase it themselves. All of our products are hand-made using cotton. We only do business with indigenous women-led cooperatives to guarantee that the weavers and artisans are receiving a living wage and benefiting directly from each purchase. The Guatemalan highlands, especially the Quiché region, were the most affected by the atrocities of this war. Indigenous men were considered guerrillas during these dark times, and many disappeared or were murdered. These women had to find a way to provide for their families when most of the men disappeared from their villages, so they decided to join forces and weave to survive. ![]() Two of these cooperatives were initiated in the 1980s by a group of indigenous women during the civil war. Our partners include women-led cooperatives located in the Guatemalan highlands. Therefore, we do not work with weavers or suppliers who are not the direct cultural owners of this art. Our wish is to support the creators of this art in the region. Many indigenous women and men have been forced to give up their traditional clothing to adjust to modern Guatemalan society. Unfortunately, this art form is endangered due the effects of globalization, the fast-fashion mindset of consumers, and discrimination. Women have traditionally been the weavers in Guatemalan culture, and they tend to do it from home while taking care of their families or while selling at the market. The backstrap loom is easy to carry, is adjustable to the body, and can be easily transported. The loom used for this technique is horizontal and consists of sticks, ropes, and a strap that is tied behind the waist. Backstrap loom weaving is a two-thousand-year-old tradition that can be found in Mayan pre-hispanic hieroglyphs. INDIGART Designs LLC partners with cooperatives led by indigenous women in Guatemala who still practice the ancient art of backstrap loom weaving. ![]()
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