The Art of Oaxacan Silk

An immersive 3-hour private tour from Oaxaca to visit natural silk artisans. In pre-Columbian times, weavers in Oaxaca worked on backstrap looms with plant-based fibers like cotton, agave, and more. Spanish invaders introduced the standing loom and silkworms, kickstarting a new tradition throughout the country. Noticing in the early 2000s that the historical technique of creating silk was nearly extinct, a talented family dedicated themselves to reviving this incredible craft. On this experience, you’ll visit the family’s workshop and mulberry orchard to learn about the cyclical process of silk production—from raising the worms to spinning, weaving, and creating natural dyes. You’ll try your hand at spinning, browse the family’s unique and beautiful creations, and learn about the importance of this process to both the family livelihood and legacy.

This private cultural tour offers rare access to a master artisan family, their home workshop, property and their extraordinary craftsmanship. Two generations of this indigenous Zapotec family collaborate to carry forward their ancestral practice, rooted in centuries-old traditions in this indigenous area of Oaxaca—where silkworm cultivation once flourished under colonial rule. This family is one of the region’s few remaining custodians of silk production using historical methods. With your host to guide and translate, you’ll gain rare insight into cultural preservation, heritage silk production, natural dyeing, and silk spinning. This is one of the few opportunities that exist to engage so intimately with an art form and tradition for which this region is renowned. We will also share a refreshment and a traditional Oaxacan dessert with this family in their home after the tour and demonstration is complete.

Ehren Seeland is a Oaxaca-based creative with a background in art and design and journalism, who travels the globe for professional and personal pursuits. A long-term resident of Oaxaca with family ties to the city, her passion for regional produce, traditional skills, and social impact makes her a fantastic host for the culturally curious and socially minded traveler. Through all of her projects—including Hecho, a marketplace of artisan-made goods from natural materials—Ehren maintains an active focus on supporting Mexican ancestral traditions through handmade product development, including textiles, pottery, homewares, and other works. Her projects also place special emphasis on supporting women and indigenous communities.

We recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, water, and your camera or phone if you'd like to take photos. If you would like to purchase any of the family's products, note that while they do accept credit cards, it's always a good idea to bring some Mexican pesos, as cash is often preferred. That said, there's no pressure to buy anything during this visit, apart from what is already included.