COJOLYA ASSOCIATION OF MAYA WOMEN WEAVERS

We are a non-profit association of Maya women weavers from the town of Santiago Atitlán on the Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Cojolya was founded in 1983 with a dual mission. The Association is dedicated to the conservation of the millennial Maya tradition of backstrap loom weaving as well as the customs and traditions that surround it, not as a historical relic, but as an economically viable source of employment for our woman weavers. Cojolya has been certified as a fair trade producer by the World Fair Trade Organization since 2010, and we are proud to be a leader in the ethical, fair, and slow fashion movement. 

In our commitment to these movements, we offer a new form of ethical consumption. If a product is sold out, we will produce again but only when ordered. This helps eliminate wasteful production and ensures quality production of each item. 

All of our products are handmade, handwoven, and hand-dyed. Each product comes with tag with the name of the artisan who made the textile. Of course, this artisanal quality means that each product is unique and perfectly imperfect. No one in the world will have the same exact piece as you do. 

Cojolya is not an intermediary. We are the association. That means that every cent goes back to the association to pay the artisans, conduct social programming, and the upkeep of our offices. Thank you for deciding to support the Maya Tz'utujil community in Santiago Atitlan