These are the main techniques and materials we use in our collections:

BALAMIL

Balamil means “World” in Tzotzil. This is a collection rich in patterns and symbolism where the artisans represent the "Universe" and the stories passed down through generations. The production of brocade on a backstrap loom requires many hours of work and concentration

BLACK MUD

Artisans from San Bartolo Coyotepec, Oaxaca, a community inhabited by more than 600 families dedicated to this craft process. The color of the black clay is due to the specific properties of the clay from this region and the firing process. Clay is quarried from the surrounding hills and immersed in water to remove impurities, a process that can take up to a month.
The clay is molded by hand on flat surfaces close to the ground and once molded, the pieces are They are left to dry for approximately 3 weeks. Once dry, the pieces are burnished, that is, the surface is rubbed with a curved quartz in order to compact the clay and create the metallic and dark finish when sewing.
The next stage consists of sewing the pieces in kilns that reach a temperature of 700/800 degrees.
In firing, all openings in the kiln are closed to create an atmosphere devoid of oxygen, which causes the iron oxide particles in the clay to change and as they emerge parts, have a gloss black finish.
These parts are lead free.

CHIAPAS BROCADE
These textiles are handwoven on a backstrap loom by Tzotztil women from the state of Chiapas, located in southwestern Mexico.

Using the backstrap loom, women weave by adding complementary colored threads to the warp and weft of their looms. Known as "brocade", this ancient design technique is what characterizes the textiles of this region, the textures and the complexity in the color combinations differentiate the work of these artisans from other municipalities.

The backstrap loom is a portable loom that has existed since pre-Hispanic times. It is made up of sticks, ropes and a strap that is worn around the weaver's waist, thus giving it its name. One end of the loom is tied to a pole or tree, and the other end is wrapped around the weaver's lower waist, allowing her to control the tension on the loom with her own weight. This simple technology allows the loom to be used almost anywhere.

In the highlands of Chiapas, brocade is perceived not only as an art form, but as a sacred duty ordained by the gods and perfected by the ancestors. For centuries the women of Chiapas have woven and brocaded huipiles and tunics with intricate designs that reflect the local worldview and mythology. The diamond shapes symbolize the shape of the earth and the sky, the undulating designs, called snake or flower symbolize the fertility of the earth and the abundance of sacred plants and animals. The patterns with three vertical lines connote the ancestors and the representative figures, such as saints and toads, are icons of the rain god, who watches over the earth and controls its fertility.

Onora's brocaded textiles represent a mix of old and new as traditional patterns and colors are simplified and recontextualized without losing sight of their origin.

BROCAD

Fabric where threads are added to the weft, forming an iconography of frets and representations of flora or fauna.

PHTHALATES
Chemical substance that is added to plastics to make them flexible. Phthalates can be harmful to health. Our NO products incorporate this substance.

GALVANIZE

The galvanizing or galvanizing process is a technique used to protect steel from corrosion

It consists of immersing steel parts in molten zinc to protect them from corrosion and enhance their mechanical strength against shocks and abrasion.

HENEQUEN

Henequen, better known as “sisal”, is one of the most important fibers used by the Mayans since pre-Hispanic times.

Known for its great resistance and durability, henequen is a fiber extracted from the Agave and has been used by the Mayan people for the creation of ropes, fishing nets and rudimentary fabrics for centuries.

In the mid-19th century, henequen became the basis of the Yucatan economy, where hundreds of plantations were built to make ropes, rugs, and sacks. At the beginning of the 20th century, henequen fibers were sold to the British, who cultivated them in Madagascar and Kenya for a lower cost, this was the end of the henequen industry in Mexico.

However, some local Mayans continued to work with this fiber producing ropes, hammocks and woven bags, known in Mayan as Sabucán.

Today, many henequen products are available thanks to the dedication of these artisans and the programs that help revive and promote handmade products made from this noble and resistant fiber.

HUIPIL

‘Blouse or adorned dress’ also called hipil in the Yucatan, is a tunic or dress of the same dimension from top to bottom, sewn on the sides, with two openings for the arms and one more rectangular for the head. The neck and sleeves as well as the lower part of the dress are decorated with colorful motifs, usually embroidered or brocaded on a backstrap loom.

MACRAME

Arabic word that designates the weaving of cords and threads knotted by hand.

STRIP LOOM

The backstrap loom owes its name to the way the weaver adjusts it, at one end to her waist with a leather or ixtle girdle called mecapal and at the other end to a tree or post. It is also known by the name of the two-bar loom or otate loom, since its structure is made up of the sticks of this rod.

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