Mexican Textiles has a long history. Fabrication of fibers, fabrics and other textile goods has been in existence in this country since at least 1400 BC. The fibers used during pre-Hispanic periods include those derived from yucca, palm and maguey plants as well as the use of cotton in the hot lowlands in the south. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, Spain introduced new fibers such as silk and wool as well as European footprints. The style of clothing also changed radically. Fabrics were produced exclusively in workshops or at home until the era of Porfirio DÃÆ'az (1880s until 1910), when weaving mechanization was introduced, mostly by France. Today, fabrics, clothing, and other textiles are made by craftsmen and in factories. Handmade items include pre-Hispanic clothing such as huipil and sarapes, which are often embroidered. Clothing, carpets, and others are made with natural fibers and natural dyed. Most handicrafts are produced by indigenous people, whose communities are concentrated in central and southern countries in countries such as Mexico, Oaxaca and Chiapas. The textile industry remains important to the Mexican economy despite its decline due to competition with cheap goods produced in countries such as China, India and Vietnam.
Video Textiles of Mexico
Histori
Periode Pra-Hispanik
The oldest known piece of cloth in Mexico has been found in the arid north of the country in countries such as Coahuila, Chihuahua and Durango and dates for roughly between 1800 and 1400 BC. In pre-Hispanic times, the most common woven fibers in dry areas are from yucca and palm trees, with cotton grown in hot humid areas near the coast. It was not known to the Aztecs until they conquered the cotton growing area and began to demand it as tribute. Then, only the upper classes are allowed to wear them. Given the important cotton status, it is often used as money. For some ceremonial attire, amate or leather paper is used.
Each Mesoamerican culture has settled the weaving god. Women are often buried with woven items that they make. CortÃÆ'Â © s mentions the Aztec's skill in weaving in one of these letters to the king of Spain, in very favorable terms.
The colonial era
After the conquest of the Aztec Empire by Spain, the production of cloth and clothing in Mesoamerica changed drastically. Most forms of pre-Hispanic body clothing and jewelry were banned by the Spaniards as "uncivilized." Fabrics, Europe and Asia influenced the production of Mexican fabrics in the middle of the colonial period. The Spaniards did not like the original cotton, nor found the material produced on the traditional backstrap loom wide enough. New techniques and materials are introduced. Fashion clothing Spain, which is a mixture of European influences, Asia Minor and Egypt, was also introduced. At first wool and silk were imported, then sheep and silkworms and European legs swung all in the late 1530s. By 1580, Mexico had become one of the most productive areas for wool and silk fabrics. Most of the production is concentrated in the states of Oaxaca, Tlaxcala and Puebla today. At first Spanish weavers dominated production, but they were soon replaced by the original weavers who made the materials cheaper. Instead of banning fabric made in India, European weavers instead decided to hire them, creating workshops. While the native weavers were not paid much, the Spanish owners did make money. The workshop eventually produced enough fabrics for internal consumption and for export to Spain, the Philippines, Central America and Peru. The production of silk fabrics is very dominant from 1540 to 1580; However, at the end of this period, Galleon Manila each year regularly carries cheaper silk from Asia.
While cotton is not favored by Europeans, it is still made and offered in tribute to the Spanish master. Commercializing fiber is difficult because plants grow in the lowlands near the ocean and are not close to highland manufacturing areas, and high transport costs. A large cotton woven workshop was not established until the second half of the 17th century. Finally, the production of these fabrics as well as woolen fabrics fills the gap left by the loss of Mexican silk production. Wool fabrics remain important because they are favored by layers of colonial society, and because sheep can be raised near the main weaving areas, such as Puebla, QuerÃÆ' Â © taro, Valladolid, AcÃÆ'¡mbaro, and San Miguel de Allende.
of the 19th century to present
In the past, fabrics and clothing were made to last for decades, but today the fabric is much cheaper and what clothes are purchased are immediately thrown away. This is largely due to mechanical weaving, which makes the fabric inexpensive. In Mexico, as in other parts of the world, the introduction of modern transportation and communications brings a major change in the production and distribution of goods and in the management and structure of the company. In the 19th century, industrialization affected textile production with the introduction of steam-powered engines and the efforts of French immigrants from Barcelonnette, which began arriving in Mexico in the early nineteenth century. Textile mass production, especially cotton textiles, developed earlier than in other countries outside of Western Europe and the United States, approached the same level as in England in the mid-18th century despite the social unrest of the time. Mechanization of fabric production began in the 1830s; however, high internal taxes among states keep production facilities small and unconsolidated. While Mexican production lags behind Europe, certain areas of the country such as La Laguna, in the modern states of Durango and Coahuila, become important producers of cotton fabrics. The most widely produced fabric is called "manta," a natural cotton that is favored by many indigenous groups.
The development of steam and railway lines allows the production of Mexico to be exported. Consolidation of power by Porfirio DÃÆ'az in 1880 opened up business opportunities and allowed foreign investment. By the end of the 19th century, textile production and distribution were the country's largest manufacturing sector, largely controlled by French immigrants. The immigrants work together, forming "Barcelonnette network." They started with a small textile factory and a dry goods store, which eventually grew into large factories and department stores, including Palacio de Hierro, which still exists. These French immigrants consolidated textile operations in the late 19th century, and at the beginning of the Mexican Revolution transformed their electricity sources from steam into electricity. They also transformed textile factories from most family-owned organizations into more modern companies with professional managers and stocks sold on the exchange.
Sewing machines appeared in the early 20th century and became widely used to join the fabric and for embroidery. This leads to another level of textile production: apparel.
Maps Textiles of Mexico
Native crafts and textiles today
Original tradition
Textiles are one of the more important Mexican crafts as they represent the continuation of tradition and its blend with modern design and techniques. Both pre-Hispanic and colonial era textile styles are still made in Mexico. In addition, many textile factories use machines based on an old leg leap from colonial times. There are basically four types of fibers used for fabric production:
- Vegetable products such as cotton
- Animal products such as wool and silk
- Minerals like gold and silver thread
- Synthetic.
The raw materials for textiles fall into two groups: fine fibers such as silk, cotton, and wool, introduced to the Americas by conquistadors; and native Mexican hard fibers such as ixtle, lechuguilla, reed, palm, twig, and willow. In indigenous areas of Mexico, women are responsible for the clothing of society, a process that often begins by harvesting natural fibers and then spinning, dyeing, and weaving textiles. In different parts of Mexico, both the original backstrap looms and looms are driven by European pedals used for weaving mainly cotton and wool.
Most artificial textiles are produced by sixty or more indigenous ethnic groups in Mexico, most of whom live in rural areas in the central and southern parts of the country. In this textile, traditional traditional design, and in some cases, the technique still survives. One of the common techniques in fabric crafts is the brocade, which allows to lift the design to be woven into the fabric. Most indigenous textiles are made at home by women and used for clothing, home use, decorative use and the use of ceremonies. The items include hand-woven, hand embroidered, knitted and more. Clothing is one way that distinguishes these groups from one another and the world at large. Some of these outfits include huipil, quechquemitl, tilmas, sandals and rebozos. A number of ethnic groups, such as Nahua in Mexico, are commercializing their original and traditional creations as well as generating them for domestic consumption. People in coastal areas continue to grow cotton, twist it, color it with natural elements like indigo.
Indigenous clothing
Most of the pre-Hispanic clothes that survive are for women. These include "enredos", or wrap dresses, fajas, or cloth belts, huipil, a kind of tunic, quechquemitl, a short rectangular or rectangular poncho. The latter is initially worn directly on the upper body of the woman but today is worn over the blouse. The loose sack dress, called huipil in Oaxaca and guanengos in MichoacÃÆ'¡n, is often very embroidered with straight stitching, cross stitching and tucks with floral and geometric motifs.
Clothes that are widely used in indigenous and mixed communities are rebozo. It is a long rectangular shawl that is used both as a wrap and as a means of carrying children or heavy objects that are fastened to the body. Rebozo emerged during the colonial period, not in the pre-Hispanic era. The rebozo is a synthesis of three historical influences, pre-Hispanic "mÃÆ'¡matl," Spanish mantilla and "repacejo," Oriental clothing. This is a piece of rectangular fabric with long borders at both ends. Most rebozos are made with colorful designs that are woven into pieces using yarn of different colors. Those that have a single color are usually made of yarn or yarn that has been dyed to produce a color variation at the end. This last style is called "jaspe" or jasper and is usually woven in backstrap looms.
Rebozo has been produced mostly in central Mexico since the colonial period, with some notable producers in Mexico State and Michoacan. Tenancingo is one of the famous manufacturer of craft rebozos, usually made of cotton but wool is also used. The traditional Rebozos in the Lake PÃÆ'¡tzcuaro area are often white and blue on a black background and may be embroidered with small cross stitches.
Some pre-Hispanic men's clothing survived because many Mesoamerican men went naked or semi-naked, causing the Spanish authorities to force them to adopt European shirts and pants early. These early colonial style shirts and trousers have changed slightly in indigenous communities and are now being identified with indigenous groups, notably Tarahumara in Chihuahua, Tuna in Oaxaca and Tzeltal in Chiapas. Many men's clothing is embroidered in many colors. Because indigenous pants lack pockets, many men carry ornamental handbags called akhlak. The only pre-Hispanic men's clothing to survive is sarape, which is only used in certain areas of Mexico.
In addition to clothing, other items are woven like bed sheets, blankets, hats, cinches and backpacks. Designs for this are most often woven into the fabric itself, but embroidery stars, border designs, deer, and others can be seen as well. These items can be made with various fibers including those derived from maguey plants.
Embroidery
One of the most distinctive aspects of indigenous textiles is the use of embroidery. The indigenous motifs found in clothing range from geometric patterns, zigzags, spirals, moons, crosses and frets. Thin waistcoats wrapped around the waist (fajillas) are common in a number of indigenous groups and embroidered extravagantly. The border is often decorated with zigzags, like the one in Huichols. Automists use the moon pattern on this belt along with their morral or luggage, and Tarahumara tends to decorate it with a triangle design. Many of the huipil embroidery patterns in Oaxaca, also show pre-Hispanic influence. Flower design is very popular to embroider women's clothing among Automists, Nahuas, Huastec, Huichols, and others. Spiral and curved designs appear with frequencies especially in central and southern states.
In addition to flowers, other themes of nature in woven and embroidery designs include plants, animals such as squirrels, rabbits, deer, armadillos, doves, hummingbirds, pelicans, seagulls and fish. Mazahua embroidery belts are known for their zoomorphic designs and those of the Jändeza TomÃÆ'¡s tend to have large feathered bird images. San Mateo del Mar cloth deck has a picture of aquatic birds such as pelicans and seagulls, with people from the horns of Santiago Zacatepec having borders with many small animals such as centipedes, scorpions, birds, iguanas, cats, foxes and more.
Human figures appear with relative frequencies as well. They stand out on San Juan Colorado embroidered napkins and as dancers Danza de la Pluma in the fabric belt of Saint TomÃÆ'¡s Jalieza. Patriotic symbols such as two-headed hawks, three colors of Mexican flags and eagles with snake symbols. This is the most common in the central region of the country among Automists, Nahuas, Huastecos, Huicholes and others. Christian symbols such as crosses, virgins, saints, angels and other elements were introduced by evangelists in the early colonial period. It appears on small and large pieces like a men's shirt between Tzotzil in Chiapas, in San Miguel Ameyalco fabrics, featuring churches, and the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe in many textiles in Sierra Norte Puebla.
Popular speech or phrases also appear especially in PurÃÆ' Â © pecha textiles around Lake PÃÆ'¡tzcuaro and in the state of Puebla.
Loom
Two types of looms used in the manufacture are handmade fabrics, backstrap pre-Hispanic looms and foot pedals introduced Europe. Traditionally, weaving, especially in backstrap looms, is considered a female occupation. Women still produce items such as kitchen fabrics, tablecloths, carrier bags and decorative items with traditional designs. Though considered to be primitive, backstrap weaving is versatile and allows for different techniques and combinations of techniques, some of which can be very complicated. This makes it possible to combine different fibers such as cotton with wool or silk. The design is woven into the fabric of this loom by changing the color of the yarn and/or by adding items such as shells or other materials into the finished product. The most common backstrap loom in the southern part of the country.
The foot pedal loom was taken to Mexico after the Conquest. Unlike the pieces made on backstrap looms, the pieces done on these machines have traditionally been done by men with wools being the preferred fibers. This type of loom is the most widely used in central and northern countries. The main advantage of this loom is that it allows pieces larger than the rear looms and has been used to make sarapes, rugs, blankets, and more.
Rugs and other items created in Oaxaca and Mexico State
Two countries that continue to have significant handmade textile production are Oaxaca and the Mexican State. Oaxaca is known for a variety of handmade textiles including carpets, rebozos, tablecloths and traditional clothing such as huipils. This made backstrap loom or foot pedal loom. In the pieces of Mexican State crafts are mostly produced in Jiquipilco, Tejupilco de Hidalgo, Temascaltepec de González, Temoaya, Valle de Bravo, Zacazonapan, Toluca and Tenancingo produce napkins, tablecloths, bed sheets, kitchen items, clothing, -bathroom, rebozos and carpets.
Both countries are also significant carpet producers. Making carpets tied up by Otomi in the Mexican State is relatively new. It started in 1969 when Ernesto FernÃÆ'¡ndez Hurtado of the Bank of Mexico decided to promote a pilot center in Temoaya for the study and manufacture of this type of carpet using a traditional Otomi design. Today, this carpet is a distinctive feature in Mexican State crafts. The carpet is made with 100% wool virgin and has an average knot density of 140,000 m2. There are about 21 different designs offered with 250 variations of color and size. Most are sold in upscale neighborhoods in Mexico City, but due to cheap imitation issues, some vendors only sell from their workshops.
TeotitlÃÆ'¡n del Valle in Oaxaca is known for its wicker carpets. Most manufacturers make their carpets with foot pads using wool that is stained with natural materials such as indigo and cochineal bugs. Carpets are also produced in Mitla, Santa Ana del Valle, and Tlacolula de Matamoros along with blankets and a kind of sarape. One feature that differentiates Oaxaca carpet production is the use of cochineal insects. These insects have been used since pre-Hispanic times to color the fibers, producing colors ranging from purple to yellow, varying depending on what ingredients, such as certain flowers or lime juice, are added. For the time being, the use of natural dyes is threatened by cheap synthetic but the use of natural dyes has made a comeback.
Value and protection of handmade textiles
After the Mexican Revolution, references to Mexican native culture became fashionable, including the art of food handicrafts and regional clothing. This is expressed in art by men such as Diego Rivera and Dr. Atl. Since then, there have been a number of attempts to maintain and expand the tradition of textile production, especially in southern Mexico. The Textile Museum has a collection of 4,000 pieces and is located in the former San Pablo monastery in the city of Oaxaca. The museum was opened in 2008 and sponsored by Alfredo Harp HelÃÆ'º Foundation. Pieces include modern, colonial and pre-Hispanic textiles. Clothing items include huipils, enredos, quechquemilts, skirts, rugs and wall hangings. This collection is in three divisions of Oaxaca Textile, Mexican Textile and Textile World.
Sna 'Jolobil, or House of the Textiles in Tzotzil, is a cooperative of more than 600 Tzotzils and Tzeltal women in 12 municipalities in Chiapas based in San Cristón³bal de las Casas. The company was established to promote and improve textile handicrafts, especially those produced with backstrap looms, with the aim of preserving traditional techniques and designs and promoting the economic wealth of women weavers. The organization has an antique huipil collection available for study and reproduction as well as workshops in weaving and producing vegetable dyes. The organization has succeeded in attracting more young people into the craft. In 1986, he received the Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes (National Award of Science and Arts) and many members have received individual awards for their work.
Federal agencies such as FONART and various state agencies have their own promotional efforts including annual craft contests and master recognition in various fields, including textiles. Florentina LÃÆ'³pez de JesÃÆ'ºs is Amusgo from Xochistlahuaca, Guerrero. He learned to weave from his mother at the age of six and prepare raw cotton and twist it into yarn. He continues to weave and do other work to help his family. As an adult he started making special pieces for sale such as tablecloths, placemats, rebozos and huipils, traveling to Ometepec to the market. His work caught the attention of FONART between 1969 and 1971, which led to him becoming a member of the craftsmanship of La Flor de Xochistlahuaca. Since then, he has provided workshops to people in his area as well as Curso de Tintes Naturales sobre Algodon (Natural Dye for Cotton Course) in 1994 and has promoted the use of a brown cotton called "coyochi." His work has won numerous awards including 2 popular Gran Premio de Arte spots, FONART in 1987, first place of the popular Gran Premio de Arte, FONART in 1991 and Premio Nacional de Artesanias de SECOFI in 1993.
Juan RayÃÆ'³n Salinas, whose parents are craftsmen, is from the Mexican State. He began working with textiles in 1970, and in 1971 the state government began work to open the Centro de Capacitación de Tapiz y de Bajo Liso to introduce European techniques to make carpets. Traditionally, RayÃÆ'³n's hometown of XonacatlÃÆ'¡n made wool sarapes, but he entered a center specializing in throwing rugs. He works recognized and he started participating in exhibitions in Mexico and abroad. After working with Centro, he set up his own workshop. His work can be seen in various cities in Mexico as well as in New York. Also from XonacatlÃÆ'¡n, Reyna RayÃÆ'³n Salinas is known for her belts and embroideries, which she has made since she was 12 years old.
Cosme Flores comes from the town of Tlaxcala, the son and grandson of the weavers who make woolen carpets. He started weaving at the age of 11 and worked in agriculture. His work has won prizes such as first place at Concurso Estatal de Artesanias Tlaxcaltecas in 1993 and 1994. His work is also featured in a permanent exhibition at the Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares de Tlaxcala.
Justina Oviedo Rangel is a Huave ethnic group in Oaxaca. He began to weave when he was eight years old while playing. When her mother saw her abilities, she started giving him formal lessons. She specializes in napkins, containers and tablecloths, but also makes huipils. He also made a clay sculpture. His work has won awards such as Concurso de Tejido de San Mateo del Mar in 1978 and various times since then until 1989.
Evaristo Borboa was born in Tenancingo, State of Mexico, where the making of rebozos is a tradition. He started weaving when he was 12 years old, making rebozos using backstrap looms, not European looms. This means that each rebozos is made individually rather 26-30 at a time, which is possible with larger looms. He is also known for his binding or "fastening" technique and jasper style. Attracted by the older rebozos style, he started his experiments in 1947 with this older design. In the 1960s, after visiting the Zapopan Virgin, he noticed that the picture was just wrapped in a simple scarf. He offers to create a new rebozo image, something he has done every year since then. Recognition has come too late in winning the Borboa live award from FONART and state agencies beginning in the 1990s.
Handmade textiles have also been promoted as a tourist attraction. This is especially true in the state of Chiapas. Mexican-made textiles have experienced a resurgence of interest due to their reassessment of luxury and increased interest in some consumer sectors in local handicraft items. Many of these textiles are incorporated into items sold by globally recognized brands. Louis Vuitton, which has manufacturing facilities in Mexico, sponsors an exhibition called "Historias de TradiciÃÆ'³n artesanal" (Artist Tradition Story) at Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City.
However, handmade textiles not only compete with other types of imported textiles, but also countries like China and Guatemala produce traditional Mexican design imitations. These can be found both inside and outside Mexico. Asociacion de Mujeres Empresarias in Chiapas considers imitation as a form of trademark infringement and puts the livelihood of indigenous miners at risk. Organizations like this work to have original designs that are marked as an intangible world heritage to protect them with markers for authenticity - as is done for tequila or Talavera pottery.
Current textile industry
The importance of the current sector
The production of modern textiles in Mexico began in the era of Porfirio DÃÆ'az from 1880 to 1910. Today, textile production plays an important role in Mexico's gross domestic product, as it is exported and produces jobs. Textile production includes the manufacture of yarn, fabrics and decorations, both in natural and synthetic fibers. It accounts for about 1.2% of total GDP and 7.1% of the manufacturing sector. This is the fourth largest manufacturing activity in the country. From the end of the Mexican Revolution to the mid-2000s, the sector experienced steady growth. Much of the growth in the last four decades has been spearheaded by "maquiladoras" or manufacturing plants along the northern border, which can import duty-free raw materials to make exportable products.
Another important textile field is the state of Guanajuato, which is the third largest producer in Mexico. Some of these products include clothing, yarns and sewing fabrics, bed sheets, tablecloths, decorative pillows, carpets, rugs and tarps. Clothing items include jeans, other pants, blouses, tshirts, sweaters, vests, jackets, skirts and more, for national and international brands such as Liverpool, Chipieco, Carhartt, Echojeans, Polo Ralph Lauren, JCPenney, Old Navy, Timberland and more.
However, in the mid-2000s, the sector began to decline, largely due to foreign competition. A large number of jobs have been lost since 2003 as well as a number of factories. Much of this operation and work shifted to Asia.
Export to USA
The US is the largest textile importer and almost all textile producing countries compete for this part of the market. Mexico ranks fourth in textile exports to the US according to OTEXA. The advantage of Mexico in this market is its proximity and favorable tariffs, especially since the passage of NAFTA. In 2004, all restrictions and quotas on Mexican textiles were lifted in the United States.
However, textile exports to the US fell from more than 11 billion dollars in 2004 to more than 10 billion in 2005, as the US imports more from other countries, which results in cheaper.
From January to September 2004, Mexican apparel imports totaled $ 5.069 billion, 4.3% below the registered amount for the same period in 2003, according to CNIV, the Mexican textile industry association. Meanwhile, Chinese apparel imports in China grew 21.7% during that period to reach $ 6.69 billion. However, Mexican-made products are beginning to lose their competitiveness in the US as import taxes and tariffs from other countries also decline.
Non-US. market
Although the US is by far the main market for Mexican textiles, Mexico has a free trade pact with 43 countries, one of the largest networks in the world. Until recently, this did not include China, which has been seen as an "enemy" rather than as a potential trading partner. There is a change in this case because Mexico is trying to expand business relations with China, especially in attracting capital. In America, Mexico is part of the Central American Tree Trade Agreement, and recently Mexico and Peru reached an agreement to import and export clothing and other textiles. Mexican textile exports to Canada increased fivefold in the mid-2000s, increasing its market share in the country to five percent. Growth in exports to Canada has slowed since then but remains strong enough.
Domestic clothing market
Nine major chain stores control 40% of brick and mortar sales, but about 58% of the domestic clothing market gets its goods through illegal channels, whether through smuggling, robbery or tax evasion. Many of China's illegal textiles sold in Mexico entered through the United States, where labels were changed to avoid Mexico's 533% tariff on Chinese goods.
Mexico's international competitors
Apart from China, Mexican textile exports face competition from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Central America. In 2000, Mexican textiles owned about 12% of the US market while Indian textiles were 3.84%. Other Asian countries with attendance include Hong Kong (5.7%), Indonesia (5.3), Vietnam and Bangladesh (5% each).
Most of the reason is that labor costs are significantly higher in Mexico than in Asia. Mexico also has regulations that hinder investment, as well as tighter environmental laws. Mexican fabrics cost $ 3.45 per square meter while Chinese textiles cost $ 2.69. While the cost of Mexican fabrics has risen by 2%, those from a number of other countries in Asia and Central America have dropped. One of the main factors behind this is the relatively expensive cost of Mexican labor. Another reason Asian products are cheaper is utilities like electricity, gas and cheaper transportation.
China is Mexico's most important competitor. Not only products from this country are cheaper, supply chains in China are more organized than in Mexico. For example, most of the yarns used for sewing clothes are manufactured in China; Mexico produces little, creating the need to import as such. This can lead to production delays. Mexico is also largely limited to the manufacture of basic goods with little added value than more fashionable products sold more. In addition, Mexico also has a protectionist policy designed to impede foreign investment and ownership of textile production facilities in the country.
One example is the maquiladora industry. Before the 2000s, maquiladoras owned by Asian interests who imported ingredients from Asia to make products for the US enjoyed the same tax advantages as used by Mexican suppliers. However, this was changed at the beginning of the 21st century. This has caused many Asian maquiladoras to close and move to Asia because tax advantages no longer compensate for higher labor costs.
Mexico also complained to the World Trade Organization that China has engaged in "illegal practices" such as "dumping" (selling overseas at lower prices than local markets) to the detriment of Mexican industry. Mexico claims that the Chinese government subsidizes the sale of textiles abroad to gain market share.
See also
- La Constancia Mexicana
References
External links
Photos are hand-picked, by Luis MÃÆ' rquez (photographer), featuring people dressed in Mexican (1930's) outfits and dressed at the University of Houston Digital Library
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments