Handbags

Item Description

Size: 15.5" h x 12" w x 4" g

Material: 100% cotton, 100% cow leather. Lined in white cotton muslin with interior zip pocket.

Handmade in Mexico

Catrinka's signature leather and textile tote is updated with a gorgeous textile in this season's must-have color: bold red.

The textile was handwoven on a backstrap loom in Chiapas, in a diamond brocade known in the weavers' language, tzotzil, as pakaluch (complete brocade). The diamonds represent the Mayan worldview, and this weave is the first that women learn to do in this area of Chiapas; the most intricate; and is traditionally used for huipiles and other clothing. 

The tote is in durable, lightweight black leather, for an easy to carry statement bag to brighten up the cold weather to come.

Impact

The fabric for this bag was woven by Guadalupe and Alicia in Larrainzar, Chiapas. The bag was assembled in an ethical factory outside of Mexico City. Each bag provided 2 days of fair work to women. The sale of each bag will provide a week of life skills mentoring for adolescent indigenous Mayan girls through our 2014 NGO partner, Redmi. Learn more.

For international shipping options email info@catrinka.com.

The women behind the bag:

Guadalupe (elder) and Alicia (younger are from Bayalemo, a village in the municipality of Larrainzar, in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Alicia started weaving when she was 8 years old and Guadalupe when she was 20. Both learned from their mothers and grandmothers. They belong to a group of 21 women weavers, who call themselves the weavers of Bayalemo. They weave because they love this art, and it keeps them alive, although sometimes they do not have a good place to sell their products. At the start of this project, Guadalupe showed Alicia a sampler that is 30 years old and handed down from her grandmother, as a guide for the design.

Item Special Note

Catrinka is an ethical fashion accessory brand dedicated to investing in women and girls. Catrinka designs globally-inspired handbags and other textile-based accessories that are made by women. A share of proceeds from each sale is invested in mentoring teen girls in the regions where the products are made. Catrinka: buy a bag, employ a woman, educate a girl.