Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosí, México

Arturo Estrada is a Mexican artisan, a 'Rebozo' maker with over 40 years of experience from Santa Maria del Rio in San Luis Potosi. A rebozo is a special woven shawl-like garment, traditionally woven by indigenous weavers, generation after generation.

Mr. Estrada began making rebozos at the age of 9, when he joined the 'Escuela del Rebozo'. He is now a teacher and Head of the School, teaching the next generation this very traditional craft. Artisans in Santa Maria del Rio specialize in silk, while other areas in Mexico focus on cotton. Due to a change in government, the artisans in Santa Maria had not had access to silk, as they have relied on the government for decades to source the yarns.

As a collaboration with Heirlome, Mr. Estrada is starting to weave again in silk. Silk yarns are sourced via Heirlome, shipped to Mexico where Mr. Estrada and his team work up to three months in the creation of each one.

Heirlome rebozos are available in Ivory or 'Crudo' meaning un-dyed, raw silk and Black or 'De Luto' traditionally used for mourning.