Lunes 09:00 - 17:00 Martes 09:00 - 17:00 Miércoles 09:00 - 17:00 Jueves 09:00 - 17:00 Viernes 09:00 - 17:00

Yabal Handicrafts

Casa
Guatemala
Quetzaltenango
Yabal Handicrafts

Ethical fashion accessories- Fair Trade from Guatemala! Yabal Handicrafts is social enterprise supporting indigenous women's weaving cooperatives in Guatemala.

Yabal provides over 50 women with consistent long-term jobs and all profits are reinvested into social programs supporting women's empowerment. Yabal Handicrafts es una empresa social de comercio justo que apoya a mas de 50 mujeres artesanas con trabajos sostenibles de largo plaza. Todas las ganancias se usan para proyectos sociales para mujeres en las comunidades rurales de Santa Catarina Ixtahua

can. Yabal Handicrafts works under fair trade conditions ensuring that the women weavers are earning a livable wage. It focuses on women being the key to family development and provides workshops and general support to assist in the success of each individual and family. The organization seeks to preserve the art of the traditional back-strap loom, and expand markets available to the weavers and promoting their exquisite handmade artisanal accessories.

18/04/2026

Ever wondered how a Yabal product is designed?

Designing a new product at Yabal rarely starts with the product itself.

It usually begins with a question:
What are people looking for? And what might still be missing?

Before developing something new, we spend time observing what customers are drawn to, what they ask for, and which products they use the most. This small form of market research helps us understand what could truly add value to the collection.

From there, the creative process begins.

We explore colors, patterns, and shapes, often drawing inspiration from many places. Sometimes it comes from traditional textile designs, sometimes from conversations with colleagues, and often from things we see in everyday life.

The colors of local markets, the textures of nature, or small details from daily life in Guatemala can all become starting points for new ideas. At the same time, we always try to create designs that feel timeless while still catching the eye.

Creativity also comes with responsibility.

When working with textiles in Guatemala, it is important to think carefully about cultural context. Certain patterns and symbols are deeply connected to Maya communities and traditions. At Yabal, we always reflect on whether a design is respectful and appropriate to use, especially when a product itself has no direct connection to Maya cultural practices.

Another important question is whether a design is technically possible for artisans to weave. Some patterns require very specific techniques, and we always want to make sure the process remains realistic and respectful of the craft.

Once an idea becomes clearer, the sampling process begins.

Depending on the product, the first sample is sometimes made with a different fabric. This allows us to test proportions, adjust measurements, and refine the design before using the final handwoven textile.

When the structure and dimensions feel right, the first real sample is created with the actual fabric.

This sample is tested, evaluated, and adjusted if needed. Only once we are confident about the design do we move forward.

Instead of producing large quantities immediately, we usually start with a small batch for the shop. This allows us to see how customers respond and whether the product truly finds its place in the collection.

Because good design isn’t only about aesthetics.
It’s about curiosity, responsibility, and collaboration.

14/04/2026

This week celebrates the World Creativity and Innovation Week, a moment to reflect on how creativity shapes the world around us.

When people think about innovation, they often imagine new technologies or modern design tools. But creativity can also live inside traditions that have been practiced for generations.

In Guatemala, traditional weaving techniques are a beautiful example of this. Artisans work on backstrap looms, creating textiles thread by thread using knowledge that has been passed down through families and communities.

At Yabal, creativity often happens in the meeting point between tradition and new ideas.

Some of our pieces are part of our own collections, where we develop designs that highlight the beauty of handwoven textiles. But creativity also comes to life through custom collaborations.

Interior designers, brands, and businesses often approach us with ideas for custom textiles, colors, or products. Together with our artisan partners, these ideas are translated into unique pieces that combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.

For us, innovation doesn’t always mean changing the technique.
Sometimes it simply means exploring new possibilities within it.

Because when tradition and creativity meet, something truly unique can emerge.

12/04/2026

Many of our pieces have already found beautiful homes around the world — and we would love to see them there.

Have you ever purchased something from Yabal? A pillow cover, bag, rug, textile or accessory?

Send us a photo of how you use your Yabal piece in your home or daily life. Seeing our handwoven textiles in real spaces is always something special.

We may share some of your photos on our page to inspire others and show the many ways these pieces live on beyond our workshop.

You can send your photo via DM or email.
We can't wait to see where our textiles have traveled.

11/04/2026

Slow fashion is often mentioned in conversations about sustainability. But what does it actually mean?

In Guatemala, many textiles are still woven completely by hand using traditional techniques. When fabrics are made this way, the process naturally takes time. Each thread is placed carefully, and every textile reflects the rhythm and skill of the artisan who made it.

This slower process often leads to smaller production batches and pieces that are meant to last.

At Yabal, many of the fabrics we work with come from this weaving tradition. Understanding how something is made helps us appreciate not only the product itself, but also the craftsmanship behind it.

07/04/2026

When people talk about sustainability, they often imagine solar panels, zero-waste stores, or fully traceable supply chains.

But sustainability doesn’t look the same everywhere.

In Guatemala, sustainability has often existed long before it became a global movement or a marketing term.

For many communities, it simply means working with what is available, valuing materials, and creating things that are meant to last.

Traditional weaving is a good example of this.
Artisans use techniques that have been passed down for generations, often working with small quantities of materials and producing textiles slowly and intentionally.

Nothing is rushed.
Nothing is mass produced.

This doesn’t mean everything is automatically perfect or completely sustainable. Access to certain materials, infrastructure, or waste systems can be limited. And like everywhere else, there are still challenges.

But sustainability here often lives in the rhythm of daily work:
in repairing instead of replacing,
in producing small quantities instead of thousands,
and in valuing craftsmanship over speed.

At Yabal, we try to work within this reality.

By collaborating with artisans who weave on traditional backstrap looms, by producing in small batches, and by focusing on products designed to last.

Not because sustainability is a trend,
but because respecting materials, time, and people has always mattered.

And maybe that’s where real sustainability begins.

01/04/2026

Let's talk history today, because Semana Santa (and other catholic traditions) weren't always a part of Guatemalan culture.

Semana Santa in Guatemala has roots that go back more than 400 years.

When Spanish missionaries arrived in the 16th century, they introduced Catholic processions and religious imagery as a way to share biblical stories.

Over time, these traditions blended with Mayan culture and symbolism, creating something entirely unique to Guatemala.

Today, Semana Santa is a living tradition — shaped by history, faith, and culture.

30/03/2026

Today is the start of Semana Santa here in Guatemala. A week full of tradition and color, this week we will show you everything you need to know about this special week.

Semana Santa — or Holy Week — is one of the most important traditions in Guatemala.

Taking place during the final week of Lent, it commemorates the last days of Jesus Christ: his passion, death, and resurrection.

But in Guatemala, Semana Santa is much more than a religious observance.

It’s a time when entire communities come together. Streets transform into works of art, families prepare traditional foods, and centuries-old traditions are passed on from one generation to the next.

For many visitors, experiencing Semana Santa here is unforgettable — not only because of its beauty, but because of the deep sense of community behind it.

23/03/2026

Not a single piece is ever exactly the same.

And that’s not a flaw.

It’s what happens when something is made by hand —
thread by thread, moment by moment, without automation, without repetition at scale.

Small variations in pattern, tension or alignment are not mistakes.
They are traces of the process. Of the hands that made it.

In a world where we are used to identical copies,
handwoven textiles ask for a different kind of appreciation.

They ask you to see uniqueness not as imperfection,
but as value.

Because when you choose a handwoven piece,
you’re not choosing a product.

You’re choosing the only one that exists like it.

And there will never be another exactly the same.

20/03/2026

Bestseller of the month ✨

A little shade, a little color — and suddenly, everyday moments feel different.
Our handwoven sun hats are made to bring a soft kind of joy.
Nothing loud, nothing overwhelming… just that subtle touch that brightens your day ☀️

Available in different colors — which one feels like you?

16/03/2026

How long does it take?

When people look at handmade products, the first thing they often notice is the price.

What they rarely think about is time.

In today’s world, we’re used to things being made fast. Produced by machines. Manufactured by the thousands.

But handwoven textiles follow a completely different rhythm.

Before the weaving even begins, the loom has to be prepared. Threads are counted, arranged, and carefully set up — a process that can take hours.

Then the weaving starts.

Depending on the design, a single textile can take days to complete. Every pattern is built thread by thread, movement by movement, with nothing but skilled hands guiding the process.

No machines.
No shortcuts.
Just time, patience, and knowledge passed down through generations.

So the next time you see a handmade piece and wonder about the price, take a moment to think about something else:

How long did it take to create it?

Because time is the one ingredient you’ll find woven into every Yabal textile.

11/03/2026

Many new faces have joined us here lately — so it feels like a good moment to say hello.

Yabal was created with a simple purpose: to support and strengthen weaving communities in Guatemala.

We are a non-profit organization. That means the work we do doesn’t exist to maximize profit, but to create opportunities. The revenue from our textiles flows back into the communities through different community projects, helping build a more stable future around the craft.

At the heart of Yabal are the textiles themselves.

Most of them are woven on a traditional backstrap loom — an ancient technique that connects the body of the weaver to the loom. Thread by thread, patterns take shape in the same way they have for generations.

Some textiles are woven on a pedal loom, allowing different textures and sizes to exist alongside this tradition. But whether on a backstrap loom or a pedal loom, every piece remains entirely handmade.

What you see here is not fast production.
It is time, knowledge, patience, and collaboration.

Yabal exists because traditional craft deserves a future — and because the communities who keep these traditions alive deserve to grow with it.

If you're new here, welcome.
Tell us where you're following from — we’d love to know who is part of this growing community.

07/03/2026

Long before factories.
Long before fast fashion.

The backstrap loom was already here.

For centuries, Maya women in Guatemala have woven this way — sitting close to the earth, one end of the loom tied to a tree or post, the other wrapped around their lower back. Their body creating the tension. Their hands setting the rhythm.

This is not a technique preserved in a museum.
It is not a reenactment of the past.

It is daily life.

Today, the same movements continue in the highlands. The same wooden rods. The same body-held loom. The same patience. But the textiles travel further. They enter new homes, new markets, new stories.

The tradition evolves — without losing its roots.

Every piece woven on a backstrap loom carries something rare:
not nostalgia, but continuity.

Past and present, woven together in every thread.

Dirección

7 Calle 15-79 Zona 1
Quetzaltenango
09001

Horario de Apertura

Lunes	09:00 - 17:00
Martes	09:00 - 17:00
Miércoles	09:00 - 17:00
Jueves	09:00 - 17:00
Viernes	09:00 - 17:00

Página web

http://www.yabal.org/

Notificaciones

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