Tote bag Ixtle

Developed in Tantoyuca, Veracruz by Maria
includes a heart stuffed and hand embroidered in Chiapas, Mexico
The process of growing, obtaining and processing the articles with the ixtle takes 2 weeks

Measures:
Length: 19 cm
Width: 16 cm
Depth: 5.5 cm

The ixtle (from Nahuatl ichtli 'ixtle') is a plant fibre known for its resistance, which has been used in Mexico since ancient times, having become a fundamental part of the Mexican economy and culture over the years. It comes mainly from the agave lechuguilla, a plant known to be the most used in antiquity. Its fibres are used as textile fibres and its spines as needles.

In Mexico, the exploitation of hard fibres from wild plants such as lechuguilla, palm and zacatón root, provides an activity for a large part of the rural sector in the northern states such as Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.

With global warming and the use of synthetic fibres, including plastic, the use of this vegetable and biodegradable fibre is now favoured for items such as bags, huaraches, belts and hygiene articles.

The Otomi community in the Mezquital Valley works mainly with IXTLE, but also with the Nahua community in the state of Veracruz.