TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Zrisdina Lema weaves her past, present and future into the chenille scarves she makes for Ten Thousand Villages in her home workshop in Otavalo, Ecuador.
Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade retailer located at 1415 Timberlane Road in the Market District, recently introduced Lema's hand-loomed chenille scarves.
Zrisdina and her husband, Fausdo come from a long line of weavers. Their families have passed the art of weaving from one generation to the next, creating an intricate tapestry of skill and design. Zrisdina's mother operated her own workshop, as well as a stand in the local craft market. As a young woman, Zrisdina made bags to sell in the market, and helped her mother weave.
When Zrisdina married Fausdo Lema in 1999, they began their own weaving workshop. The couple started with a single foot loom, producing the sheep's wool ponchos that are traditional in the Otavalo region. They later branched out into producing scarves from cotton and orlon, finally settling on chenille products after a few years.
In 2004, Zrisdina and Fausdo had the opportunity to purchase a used mechanical loom from a contact in Columbia. The investment needed to purchase the loom seemed overwhelming, but Zrisdina believed they could use the increased efficiency to find new business and repay the loan; Fausdo agreed to take the plunge. After installing and calibrating the new loom, they were able to increase their daily production by five to seven times over the foot loom.
The Lema's increased their sales in Otavalo and also found new outlets for their products in other areas of Ecuador and now in the United States through Ten Thousand Villages artisan partner Maquita Chuchunchic Comercializando Como Hermanos, or MCCH. Translated, the Ecuadorian cooperative's name means “Let us join hands and do business as brothers” in Quechua and Spanish languages. MCCH works with craft groups scattered around the country, helping them with production, design and marketing.
The future for Zrisdina and Fausdo looks bright; with consistent sales they can provide for their family and find new hope for tomorrow.
Chenille Striped Scarf
Delight a loved one with this soft and warm chenille scarf hand-woven by Zrisdina and Fausdo Lema. In warm holiday colors of red, orange, white and black, the scarf will create a warm and festive feeling each time you reach for it. The scarf measures 70.5 inches long by 10 inches wide. Suggested retail price, $24.
A fair trade retailer, Ten Thousand Villages offers holiday and home decor, personal accessories and gift items rich in ancient global traditions. Ten Thousand Villages offers products from more than 130 artisan groups in 38 countries via a network of more than 390 retail outlets throughout the United States.
For more than 60 years, Ten Thousand Villages has established fair, long-term buying relationships in places where skilled artisans lack opportunities for stable income. Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit program of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
For more information on Ten Thousand Villages, please visit tallahassee.tenthousandvillages.com.
Tags: Fair Trade Holidays Shop
