Upsides of Social Media MarketingNew Web Hosting Pioneer Emerges, Offering Affordable Hosting Solutions Coupled with…In Ecuador’s Intag Valley, the women’s artisan collective Mujer y Medio Ambiente has developed an innovative way to dye and stitch fibers from the cabuya plant, an agave-like shrub.
INTAG VALLEY, Ecuador — In Ecuador’s lush tropical Andes, Silvia Vetancourt multitasks, her hands maneuvering crochet needles with swift precision as she navigates the rocky path to the old town of Plaza Gutierrez. Andean cock-of-the-rocks flash their audacious red plumage. Many live in Intag, Ecuador. Photo by Rhett A. Butler for Mongabay.
The crop doesn’t require any pesticides or herbicides to grow; its tough leaves are their own defense. Since cabuya requires no chemical inputs, it complements organic farming practices. Conventional farmers can also easily cultivate cabuya as a secondary crop without diverting resources or labor from their primary harvests. And as a perennial, it provides long-term benefits without the need for yearly replanting.
Artisans of Mujer y Medio Ambiente walk up the main street of Plaza Gutierrez. Photo by Liz Kimbrough for Mongabay. Another of the women, Lorena Bolaños, says it was her mother who had the idea of dyeing the fibers with natural pigments, based on her knowledge of dyeing wool. To make the fiber, the women and their families cut the long spiny leaves from the plant base then use a small machine to press the liquid and pulp away from the fibers of each leaf, one at a time. The fibers are then washed and dried in the sun, where they’re flipped over every hour. Finally, dried fibers are dyed, waxed, combed and spun into yarn. The process takes days.
Experimenting with different combinations of plants, vessels and mordants is among MYMA member Norma Bolaños’s favorite pastimes. “I love the creative, inventive aspect,” she says. “I feel like an explorer.” “It’s been helpful for me to be part of this organization because it’s contributed to my kids’ education,” says MYMA member Mercedes Sánchez. “I can help my husband with money and I feel happy about that. It’s nice to have autonomy and to be able to help my kids.”
MYMA member Adriana Moquinche rides her motorbike through Plaza Gutierrez. The women say being in the group has given them more freedom, choices and confidence. Photo by Liz Kimbrough for Mongabay.