MINING IN MEXICO S - ProMéxico

FEEDBACK Xochipilli-Xochiquétzal
It is easier said than done but it implies
very hard work. Only three full time employees
are in charge of coordinating, visiting,
promoting and planning the logistics to ship
the goods, which must travel from the rural
communities to their final destinations.
Also, in its 20 years of operating, Xochipilli-
Xochiquétzal has supported itself with its
own resources obtained through
its intermediary work and helped
by clients from abroad, who occasionally
request and partially
fund special workshops and seminars
for specific craftsmanship.
Future Plans
Xochipilli-Xochiquétzal have managed
to preserve the traditions of
the artisans in the communities
where they work and have also optimized
their production and quality skills. They
have also been able to implement additional
small changes in these indigenous and rural
communities of Mexico.
Traditionally, in many of these places
women have no access to work or any other
type of opportunities. Even though women
are typically the creators of most of the
handicrafts, the local ways have always allowed
them to produce them for use solely
in their own dwellings.
In Cuentepec, Morelos, for instance,
women were the ones typically working the
clay, making their own household products,
only occasionally available for retail sale. In
this community, only women were allowed
to go to the clay mines but now the men help
in some of the gathering work, as much as
their tradition allows them.
Today, some 26 women from Cuentepec
are able to produce 1,000 pieces a week and
Since 1991, these two organizations have
helped craftsmen from various sites in
Mexico ship their products to countries such
as France, Italy, Germany, Austria, the US
and Canada.
when they are not sold to international clients
through Xochipilli-Xochiquétzal, they
can be sold in other markets.
When Xochipilli-Xochiquétzal has given
indigenous women the opportunity to work
for a certain wage, the whole family contributes
to the work, exponentially improving
the quality of life of the community.
“The money the women obtain through
their work is usually well invested in improving
the nurturing and education of their
families or in house improvements. Giving
them access to an additional source of income
makes them feel better about them-
selves,” says Inez Villaseñor.
At the moment, the international handicrafts
market is hardly going through a
boom period, so Xochipilli-Xochiquétzal plan
to concentrate their work in the 18 workshops
they operate in five states.
In the future, their plans are to begin a campaign
amongst its beneficiaries, promoting increased
contact between the craftsmen
and the Fair Trade mission.
“In the fair trade philosophy,
the salaries must be competitive
and you have to take responsibility
for the men and women
involved in the processes of production,
as well as for the environment,
complying with all the
required standards. The working
conditions must be optimized and
the commercial relations must benefit the clients,
traders and manufacturers equally and
as much as possible,” claims Inez Villaseñor.
These two organizations have not only
managed to stay afloat but also in 20 years
have implemented important structural and
economic changes without undermining
the traditional ways of making handicrafts
in Mexico. They have also achieved international
recognition and appreciation for these
100% typical Mexican products. Undeniably,
in a cult for the gods that inspired their
names, they have become true modern patrons
for Mexican artisans. n