ABOUT US

Handwoven Cotton from Guatemala

Algodones Mayas offers artisanal cotton products and Guatemalan textiles to global customers. We grow and cultivate native pre-hispanic cotton, designing elegant decorative pieces and accessories.

Women Behind the Brand

We believe in empowering and encouraging women, this is why almost 80% of our artisans are hardworking mothers and daughters who never give up and make their best effort every day to be better. We proudly celebrate them, they are the women that inspire us. Everyday we honor and celebrate them, they make our designs come true.

Our Community & Legacy

Algodones Mayas is a Guatemalan textiles business. We sell handmade products worldwide, handwoven by local artisans. This allows us to have a strong local impact within this region, improving the quality of life of our artisans while supporting the growth and prosperity of their community. 

Our Philosophy

Our ethical pursuit is to produce objects mindfully, rather than consume mindlessly. We always aim to preserve the environment and following our collaboration with “The New Denim Project” we now use upcycled denim for all our blue colors and tones. We are passionate about cultural preservation: we recovered native lxcaco, Cuyuscate and Jade cotton, a form of cotton which almost went extinct in the 90s. “We do not produce objects for status or vanity, but to meet a purpose from within. Objects do not fill, they fulfill. Our objects carry intention”. This is our philosophy: preserving and celebrating our culture and homes.

Our Story

Founded in 1994, Algodones Mayas was created by two visionaries to share the magic of handwoven textiles. Our handwoven cotton pieces help preserve Guatemala’s rich culture, land, natural colors and motives. “That was the original vision of my mother (Maria Luz Gonzalez). My father (Horacio Villavicencio) wanted to preserve the brown color of the cotton which the Mayan people used to weave their clothes. Together, they combined their visions to create Algodones Mayas”. 

CEO Luisa Villavicencio

27 years later, our company has kept the same principles. We innovate continuously, creating new products to meet the needs of international markets. The name Wayil means “Native” in indigenous language - referencing the native raw materials and the hands that weave each piece to create refreshing, contemporary designs for our customers.