8/5
Oaxacan Cochineal Natural Dye Workshop
with Elsa Sánchez & Eric Chávez

Cochineal has been an important part of Mexican history for thousands of years. For the indigenous people of Mexico, the insect was used to dye textiles. Spanish colonizers similarly prized the insect causing it to be traded globally. Cochineal is still used today in the food and makeup industries. In this workshop you will learn to mordant, extract and dye wool with cochineal. Students will manipulate the pH of each bath to obtain 10 different shades, including pinks, reds, magentas, and purples. 

Students can expect to leave the workshop with 10 skeins of wool (10gr each skein) with the label and the recipe so the color can be repeated at home.

No previous experience is required, and all materials will be provided.

About the Instructors

Elsa Sánchez and Eric Chávez founded Teñido A Mano in the city of Oaxaca in 2013. Their studio specializes in the use of local natural dye with sustainable practices. All colors change with time and exposure to the light so it’s important to Sánchez and Chávez to invest time and materials to improve color fastness. They offer a variety of programs for people interested in learning about Oaxaca’s hand made textiles, the stories behind them, and craftsmanship of natural colors.

Eric Chávez Santiago was born in Teotitlan del Valle, he is part of the fourth generation of weavers in his family and has been involved in the textile world since 2002. He has a degree in business from Universidad Anahuac Oaxaca. His professional work experience is in the fields of natural dyes, education programs for artisans and coordination of exhibitions in museums and galleries.
Eric was the founding director of education department at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca from 2008 to 2016, serving as a liaison between the museum and textile artists from Mexico and other countries.In 2016 he became director of the Folk Art department for the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation, additionally from 2017 to 2021 he directed the Andares del Arte Popular project, where he managed a private fund to promote the work of artisans reaching 16 states in Mexico and over 40,000 handcrafts in purchases. Eric is currently in charge of the production of his textiles at Teñido A Mano studio, he is also travel leader and partner at Oaxaca Cultural Navigator with Norma Schafer.

Elsa Sánchez Díaz is a native of Oaxaca City, Mexico. She has a degree in business administration and tourism from Universidad Anahuac de Oaxaca, and has professional experience in hospitality and in organizing and leading textile tours in Oaxaca. Elsa has been involved in the world of natural dyes for over 10 years, working and collaborating with master dyers from Mexico, France and Japan. In 2013, she co-founded Taller Teñido a Mano where she has been teaching natural dyeing workshops for local textile artisans and enthusiasts interested in slow textiles. Elsa is currently in charge of the dye production at the studio, she is also travel leader for textile art cultural tours at Oaxaca Cultural Navigator.