Esperanza Martínez Velasco makes unique one-of-a-kind jewelry using silkworm cocoons and silk thread. She uses natural dyes and silver in her creations as well. Each piece is designed from ideas inspired by nature and the artisan techniques taught in her Zapotec community of San Pedro Cajonos located in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca.

From a very young age Esperanza began to use the silkworm cocoons in different ways. On her own initiative in 2003, when she was 13 years old, she started to make cut-outs with the silk cocoons to form animal figures because she was not yet strong enough to weave on the backstrap loom.

Esperanza has been an inspiration to her community as the first person to make the silk jewelry. Now, many others are also creating jewelry from the cocoons — the competition encourages and motivates her to produce higher quality pieces with new designs.

She and her husband dedicate 100% of their time to everything involved in the silk trade — raising silkworms, making hand-spun silk thread, creating silk jewelry and dyeing with natural dyes. In time, she will be passing on her trade to her daughter.

In 2018 and 2022, Esperanza earned an Honorable Mention at the annual Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art Concurso.

San Pedro Cajonos

Villa Alta, Oaxaca. 

951 222 0221 WhatsApp

esmave2010@hotmail.com

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