Textiles of Oaxaca

The state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico has a noteworthy tradition of finely crafted textiles, particularly handmade embroidery and woven goods that frequently use a backstrap loom.

Most textiles made from cotton were used by the upper class because it was a material that was much easier to work with than the usual leaves of plants, thus making the crop a luxury.

[citation needed] Because many of these antique, traditional styles of dress have become obsolete, they can often be recreated or analyzed only from murals and sculptures that depict the textiles and attire as well as how both were worn.

[3] The attires of ancient Mexico still influence the contemporary dress; some of the garments have actually been passed on over time which slight adjustments of textile, materials used, embroidery, patterns etc.

[2] However, it is evident that in contemporary dress, a Rebozo (also called Sarape or Gabán) is a shawl worn by women and heavily influenced by the Tilma.

"[5] Traditional clothing items among the peoples of Oaxaca include the huipil, a women's blouse constructed from several panels; the ceñidor, a type of sash among the Mazatec; and the paño, a Chinantec head covering.

Though this meant that the specific garment being woven was relatively narrow, the waist loomed allowed for the edges and borders of these pieces to be very neat and straight without needing an additional correction process afterward.

Pre-Colonial tradition associates color with the four cardinal directions: yellow with east, red with north, blue and green with west, and white with south.