ARTESANOS

OUR ARTISANS AND THEIR ANCESTRAL TECHNIQUES

RUANAS AND BODY BLANKETS

The families of artisans who produce the blankets and ruanas live in El Colte, a small village located in the Alto Valle Calchaquí near the picturesque town of Seclantás in the province of Salta, Argentina. This magical village, nestled on the banks of the Río Calchaquí and just a few meters from National Route 40, is known as the cradle of weavers, guardians of a craft passed down from generation to generation.

Marcela and her family live in a simple and charming house with a cool gallery with cane roofs covered in red clay. Under the intense Salta sun and sheltered by the gallery, the horizontal looms occupy a special place; there, ruanas and blankets bearing their unique stamps, are woven with dedication.

I met Marcela during a visit to the artisans’ trail. We connected from the very first moment. She showed me her loom and passionately explained the techniques she uses to overcome the challenges of weaving, from warping to wefting. Her family shares this love of tradition and works alongside her as Marcela leads the craft with an entrepreneurial spirit. They weave on looms with merino sheep wool in its natural colors and sometimes dye it with plants native to the valley and their fruits. With the shells of walnuts from the area’s walnut trees they obtain incredible shades of beige: With jarilla; they achieve a variety of yellow tones. Their meticulous workmanship guarantees garments of exceptional quality.

Each fabric requires days of patient work. All members of the family participate in the process; from spinning and preparing the warp to the final wefting and washing in the waters of the Calchaquí River. At the same time, they combine their craftsmanship with agricultural work, caring for the animals and crops that sustain their daily lives.

THE TECHNIQUE OF HORIZONTAL LOOM WEAVING

JOSEFINA values the technique of horizontal loom weaving which is part of our cultural heritage. Its ancestral origins date back to pre-Columbian times and even today it has a strong indigenous influence that has been perfected and evolved over time, absorbing contact with Hispanic culture, enriching itself and giving rise to unique works as a result of this process of acculturation.

Loom weaving is characterized by the presence of two groups of fibres that intersect perpendicularly: the warp and the weft. The loom is the support that allows the weaving process to take place, keeping the warp taut and enabling its threads to be moved at the same time thanks to the heddles which facilitate the passage of the weft. The threads are arranged with a cross that divides them into two groups or layers that are separated, leaving a space (called “a shed”), through which the weft is inserted.

THE RAW MATERIAL: MERINO WOOL

 JOSEFINA offers blankets and ruanas (shawls) woven on a loom with merino wool to provide unmatched product quality. Merino wool warms you when it’s cold, cools you when it’s hot, is super soft and is as durable as it is easy to care for. It’s ideal for outdoor clothing and a truly sustainable alternative because it grows naturally and conserves resources, is durable and degrades without leaving any residue.

The natural fibres of merino wool form a natural protective film of fat which has a water-repellent effect. In addition, the large number of air chambers in the yarn means that the wool dries much faster than other fibres.

As if these characteristics were not enough, merino sheep also produce antibacterial agents to prevent their wool from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Specifically, merino wool contains lanolin and keratin, two waxes that are highly antibacterial and antimicrobial.

 The families of the artisans who produce our rugs live in Colonia Dora, a peaceful spot in the heart of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. In this corner of northern Argentina, where the arid land and colors of the mountains blend with the sounds of the wind, tradition and creativity, families of artisans create unique rugs.

The looms are set up under the sparse shade and are the center of an activity that combines collective effort, love for craftsmanship and connection to their roots. The artisans have perfected the art of working with sheep’s wool, following techniques passed down from generation to generation. From shearing the sheep to the final weaving, each stage of the process is carried out with dedication and respect for the materials and the environment.

Every time I visit them I am amazed by the rich culture and tradition of the families of Santiago weavers who create unique products with their bare hands and bring us closer to the myths, music, dances and customs that make up their cultural heritage.

The meticulousness of their work begins with the selection of wool, which is sometimes dyed with natural pigments obtained from native plants. Each rug takes days of work, with every member of the family contributing their skills: from setting up the horizontal loom to warping, wefting, designing and finishing.

Undoubtedly, these pieces capture not only the effort of their creators but also the essence of the mountains and rural life that surrounds them. That is why we say that each rug is more than just a handmade product: it’s a story of tradition, family unity and respect for nature, which will fill any space in your home with warmth and calm.

The technique of spinning and weaving rugs

JOSEFINA rugs are made using the “chusi” loom weaving technique. This is a weave that is compressed laterally so that the warp threads completely cover the weft threads and prevent them from being seen. This technique allows for smooth, monochromatic weaving, vertical color stripes and, in some cases, a combination of fine transverse stripes in a “ladder” or “comb” pattern.

A spindle (known as a “puchkana” in Quechua) is used for spinning which consists of a carved carob stick measuring around 30 cm. Sitting down, the spinners begin by taking a tuft of wool fleece which they wind around their left wrist. With their right hand, they take a section of this wool, begin to stretch it and form a strand. They wind it around their left index and middle fingers to make the task easier. They refine it with great skill and when it reaches the desired thickness and length, they fix the end of the thread to the upper end of the spindle. They rotate it with a castanet-like movement made with the thumb and middle finger of the right hand and, while it spins in the air hanging from the thread, they control the twist, stretching the wool a little more and increasing the length of the thread. When the length of the twisted thread prevents them from continuing, they suspend the task to wind the thread obtained onto the stick, tie it, and start the cycle again until the spindle is “loaded.” In this way, they repeat the action a thousand times. Once they have two full spindles, they begin the twisting process. They join two single threads and rotate them in the opposite direction to that in which they were twisted in the first stage.