More About How Hammocks From Mexico Are Made and The Hammock Trade.
We work directly with hundreds of Mayan families in the Yucatan State of Mexico. These families live in small villages about one hour outside the city of Merida. For many, the hammock trade is their only source of income. Read more about how Mayan hammocks are made, the hammock trade and how we work with the villagers.
With all our handmade hammocks, the process can take weeks. They are NOT machine made, and the production process is anything but on an industrial scale. All the hammocks are made in the local Mayan villages that are remotely spreadout around the town of Merida, in the Mexican state of Yucatan. We work with hundred of families to have them made as well as provide a means for them to earn a living. We work with the local leaders directly, using their expertise and know-how to work with the Mayan families in the Mayan hammock making which arrive on your front door.
One such key individual who is part of our Mayan hammock making process is Angelo. Angelo oversees the commissioning and production of the hammocks in the local Mayan villages. Angelo is a community leader, acting as our Production Coordinator, working directly with the family weavers in small towns and villages near him where the hammocks are made.
Angelo is 100% Mayan, and lives in Chumayel, a small Mayan town about 1 hour south east of Merida. His mother tongue like so many in the Mayan villages of the Yucatan is the local Mayan dialect. He has learned Spanish over the years which makes him an essential part of the hammock production and collecting process. Angelo works directly with the local families. He uses his knowledge and expertise as both a community leader and master weaver to oversee the allocation and qualiy of hammock production by the hundred of families who we work with.
His role is to distribute the hammock cord, which we provide directly (for free) to the weavers, and collects the finished products. He is a motivator and master weaver, as well as a quality control expert ensuring that each hammock is made to the highest standards and craftsmanship. He is proud of what he does and is proud of his community, which shows as he took us around the village of Xaya on a recent visit. During the visit we watched as
he doled out the colored cords to commission a particular hammock size. In his role as the community liaison, he collects the hammocks and pays each weaver directly for their wares. In this way, we work with him and the community, respecting their values, culture and social structure rather than impose our western ways.
After collecting the hammock beds made by the weavers, he takes them to his house where he and his daughters (see photo to the right) will finish the hammocks by completing the suspension end strings and loops. From its start in the village to the completion of the support loop ends, it can take up to 2 weeks to make a hammock. He then prepares them for delivery to Merida, where they are inspected one more time before being packaged and sent out to happy customers like you all over the world.
One such key individual who is part of our Mayan hammock making process is Angelo. Angelo oversees the commissioning and production of the hammocks in the local Mayan villages. Angelo is a community leader, acting as our Production Coordinator, working directly with the family weavers in small towns and villages near him where the hammocks are made.Angelo is 100% Mayan, and lives in Chumayel, a small Mayan town about 1 hour south east of Merida. His mother tongue like so many in the Mayan villages of the Yucatan is the local Mayan dialect. He has learned Spanish over the years which makes him an essential part of the hammock production and collecting process. Angelo works directly with the local families. He uses his knowledge and expertise as both a community leader and master weaver to oversee the allocation and qualiy of hammock production by the hundred of families who we work with.
His role is to distribute the hammock cord, which we provide directly (for free) to the weavers, and collects the finished products. He is a motivator and master weaver, as well as a quality control expert ensuring that each hammock is made to the highest standards and craftsmanship. He is proud of what he does and is proud of his community, which shows as he took us around the village of Xaya on a recent visit. During the visit we watched as
he doled out the colored cords to commission a particular hammock size. In his role as the community liaison, he collects the hammocks and pays each weaver directly for their wares. In this way, we work with him and the community, respecting their values, culture and social structure rather than impose our western ways. After collecting the hammock beds made by the weavers, he takes them to his house where he and his daughters (see photo to the right) will finish the hammocks by completing the suspension end strings and loops. From its start in the village to the completion of the support loop ends, it can take up to 2 weeks to make a hammock. He then prepares them for delivery to Merida, where they are inspected one more time before being packaged and sent out to happy customers like you all over the world.
