Assuring our bags are ethically made is at the core of who we are at Ixchel Triangle.

We strive to use sustainable materials, naturally harvested and woven from the earth.

We are committed to guaranteeing that every product is handmade by artists that are personally known.

We believe in supporting our artists and their rich history by guaranteeing fair wages and good working conditions.

And as always, we believe in the value of complete transparency. Take a look into these 3 steps we take to assure our bags are ethically made, always. 

We Work Solely with Co-ops, Never Factories

Ixchel Triangle does not have it’s own factory, and the artisans we work with are not our “employees”. We work strictly with co-ops who work together as our partners. Last week we shared about Julia, who is a master weaver of a co-op of women near Lake Atitlan. The co-op Julia works at is a perfect example of how co-ops benefit us and their local communities. This kind of co-op ensures that the art of weaving is passed down from generation to generation, as well as the traditions behind the practice, in an effort to preserve the culture and integrity of their craft. Working with co-ops also allows us to ensure that weavers are making livable wages from their work. Otherwise, they can not continue to teach the next generation and this art form will die off. 

Every Bag is Signed

As mentioned, every Ixchel Triangle bag is handmade by artists that are personally known. Our founder, Tory Jones, travels to Guatemala several times a year. Although Ixchel Triangle opened its doors in 2013, its journey began much earlier. Tory’s love for the people of Central America developed at a young age when her grandmother moved to Guatemala. She’s been making regular trips there ever since. In an effort to add even more transparency and connection to our bags, we started having the makers sign them. Every Ixchel Triangle bag has been signed by one of the makers who took part in creating it. You can read about many of our artisans on our website and social media. 

Everything is Done by Hand, Really

We believe that it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the natural resources the earth provides, and our process for creating Ixchel Triangle products is no exception. Creating everything by hand reduces our carbon footprint, and preserves tradition. Our hupils are 100% hand woven, then individually washed. With our huipil line, the leather is stained, then cut by hand. A sewing machine is only used during the final stage of making our bags to sow the leather trim to the huipil. Our leather collection is made with the highest quality genuine full hide leather.  Many of the bags have spots that are organic and natural to the hide. We love the unique character of the leather rather then mass produced bags! Since the leather is all hand stained, its attributes varies. Since all of our weavings are done by hand, no two weavings will ever be exactly the same. We may have products that are similar in style or color if they come from the same village. Take heart that you will have one of a kind piece of art that literally no one else has. 

These commitments that we have to being an ethical business result in high quality products that you can be proud to carry. As always, our focus is on the art, on preservation, on continuing education, on creativity, and on ethics. You are invited to join us in our mission!