Teotitlán del Valle

A famous weaving village, located about 25km southeast of Oaxaca, Teotitlán has been renowned for its weaving wares since pre-Hispanic times: the village had to pay tributes of cloth to the Aztecs. Quality today is high, and traditional dyes made from natural sources like indigo, cochineal and moss have been revived (though some weavers still use much cheaper synthetic dyes). The variety of designs is enormous – from Zapotec gods and Mitla-style geometric patterns to imitations of paintings by Rivera and Picasso.

Many tour groups only get as far as the larger weaving showrooms on the road approaching the village, which tend to dominate the craft here by buying up weavers’ products or employing weavers directly to weave for them. For more direct interaction, head on into the village itself, where blankets and rugs wave at you from houses and workshops along the streets.