Watch the video featuring La Peony Clothing's Artisanal Consultant Alma Cristina Gómez Macfarland
La Peony Clothing is a brand dedicated to creating a positive impact on the world and society. Central to its values is a commitment to ethical and sustainable fashion. A vital aspect of this mission is the brand’s ongoing support and collaboration with various artisan communities in Mexico.
As part of its commitment to preserving the traditions and cultural wealth of these artisan groups, LPC launched a training and research program. This initiative will focus on the three communities with which the brand has successfully collaborated so far.
The program begins by providing a space for social interaction through an event designed to express gratitude to the artisans for their collaboration with the brand. Additionally, LPC offers valuable knowledge through a workshop or conference aimed at equipping artisans with insights into tourism trends and opportunities to help them grow their businesses and incomes.
“The reality is that innovation in the artisan sector is a slow process, contrasting with the rapid changes in the market and technological advances both nationally and internationally, which leaves these businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Production processes in most artisan businesses are rudimentary, relying heavily on family labor, limiting product volume and, consequently, market participation. Only about 5% of artisans in Mexico have successfully innovated; 65% use basic systems and rely on this trade for survival; and the remaining 30% fall somewhere in between” (Jiménez- Castañeda et al., 2008).
Our first event took place with the community of Santo Tomás Jalieza, the first group of artisans LPC started collaborating with four years ago. Together, we have successfully innovated and created sustainable, fashionable, and profitable textile products.
The event, held on Saturday, August 10th, 2024, brought together over 40 artisans from the Unión de Artesanos de Santo Tomás Jalieza, a cooperative with more than 60 years of successful operation. LPC has worked with four different committees, each renewed annually in July and consisting of a president, treasurer, and secretary.
During the event, we engaged with the artisans, highlighting the fundamental value their craftsmanship adds to our products. Attendees enjoyed a traditional meal featuring tasajo, cecina enchilada, chorizo, nopales, beans, aguas frescas, and regional desserts.
While enjoying the meal, the attendees received a presentation on tourism trends focused on artisan textiles, providing key knowledge and information that the artisans can apply to their craft and business.
As previously mentioned, staying competitive in the artisan sector is challenging, as the market calls for both innovation and service, while competitors in Mexico and globally offer a wide variety of traditional and culturally rich textile crafts “Despite the artisan’s desire to increase their income, the situation described has not changed over the years. The technological dependence in the production process implies limited activity in creating new products. This search for innovation is unplanned, slow, and fragmented. Moreover, developing new products requires greater technological capacity, more personnel, materials, financial resources, and a willingness to take on greater risks. Artisans struggle to innovate because they lack contact with customers to generate ideas, do not have a research area, or the financial resources to realize their innovation ideas. However, the reality is that if they do not learn to improve and market their products, others will eventually do so” (Jiménez-Castañeda et al., 2008).
Constant support from various stakeholders is crucial for these groups. Brands and designers who collaborate with these communities by incorporating their textiles into products or marketing their crafts have the opportunity to provide more than just income by consuming handicrafts. They can also share valuable knowledge to empower artisans, create new income streams, and support the growth of their businesses. This approach encourages the involvement of more artisans and new generations in key roles within these operations. Despite often functioning as cooperatives or collectives, these businesses face the same challenge of competing in a market that is constantly evolving and demanding innovation in the products it consumes.
Tourism is one of the most important markets for artisans, and it is continually evolving, offering different experiences and seeking unique souvenirs that embody these tourist experiences. “Various studies confirm that while tourism boosts the economy of handicrafts, it does not necessarily guarantee the appreciation of handicrafts from a symbolic and traditional perspective. Tourism is both a problem and a solution for the artisan economy. On one hand, the influx of tourists sustains profitability in established artisan niches, while on the other, it deconstructs the aesthetic and symbolic values of those that are not yet established” (Saldaña-Ortega et al., 2018).
It becomes necessary to study the phenomenon of craftsmanship, especially in regions and communities where livelihoods depend on this activity. The diversity and expressive richness of handicrafts reflect the ethnic and multicultural mosaic of the region’s peoples, customs, beliefs, and ways of life. These skills synthesize traditional knowledge adapted to market demands. Nevertheless, nowadays, more importance is placed on industrially made products, setting aside artisans’ contributions. However, as industrial sectors reinvent themselves, they are increasingly turning to the proposals of artisans (Betancourt et al., 2020).
Handicrafts represent one of the non-agricultural activities that can diversify household economies in rural areas (Forstner, 2013). For this reason, continuous training and support are crucial in the development of communities where the talent of artisans can be harnessed for their benefit and that of their societies. LPC remains committed to integrating strategies that not only foster positive social and environmental impact but also ensure that these efforts continue to resonate long into the future.
References
Castañeda, J. C. J., Hernández, M. L. D., & Castro, C. J. M. (2009). Estrategias y competitividad de los negocios de artesanía en México. Pensamiento & Gestión, 26, 165–190.
Betancourt Guerrero, B., Espinal Ruiz, D. J., & Calero, G. S. (2020). Organizational characterization of craftsmanship in northern of Valle del Cauca. Cuadernos de Administración, 36(67), 4–15. https://doi.org/10.25100/cdea. v36i67.8730
Forstner, K. (2013). La artesanía como estrategia de desarrollo rural: el caso de los grupos de artesanas en la región de Puno (Perú). Cuadernos de Desarrollo Rural, 10(72), 141–158.
Saldaña-Ortega, O. A., Serrano-Barquín, R. D. C., Palmas-Castrejón, Y. D., & Pastor-Alfonso, M. J. (2018). Interpretative analysis of the impact of tourism on traditional cultural heritage. Tepoztlan, Mexico. Investigaciones Turisticas, 16, 46–67. https://doi.org/10.14198/INTURI2018.16.03
(Betancourt et al., 2020)
