Single Blue and Turquoise Hand Woven Hammock from Mexico - Sea and Sky

Artisan Organization: Maya Artists of the Yucatan

Country: Mexico

Long before the Spanish arrived upon the coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula, the Maya preferred to sleep and rest in hammocks. They considered the hammock to be like the loving embrace of a mother, due to the comfortable manner in which the body is held and swung within its cradle. Maya Artists of the Yucatan seek to preserve time-honored customs while also offering stylized versions of the original Maya hammock. For them, the hammock is a work of art. Their hammocks are incredibly comfortable, easy to maintain, and may be stored just about anywhere.

"Both men and women hand-weave magnificent and unique hammocks with colors and patterns created by our design department. This way we are able to fulfill our objective — to make a decorative article that will also provide a comfortable rest. Hammocks are now offered in a wide variety of colors and textures thanks to the advent of new fibers. We use both cotton and nylon, as these are soft, cool fibers — ideal for the garden. We also use nylon because it is a very resistant fiber. Another option is 'cotton crochet,' the finest fiber used in crafting hammocks in Yucatan."

The Maya Artists of the Yucatan have decided to diversify their designs. They ingeniously apply the same weaving techniques they use in the creation of their hammocks, to create original shawls. They refer to them as hamachales, referring to hammock and shawls in Spanish. Woven in bright colors, these shawls offer a warm hug.

"Now our goal is to continue this beautiful tradition of world-class quality, to transmit the magical work of Mexican hands and continue creating more incredible colors.""