XyZ began in 2010 working closely with five families of Zapotec rug weavers in Santa Ana del Valle in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Our hand woven blankets and napkins are imagined by us and woven using the flying shuttle loom in the city of Oaxaca.

We also carry a variety of pieces available in person at one of our events or through a visit to our studio.

Stateside we partner with businesses across the country for events. We also stock our products in our favorite shops.

We're open to collaborations and custom orders. Please be in touch if you'd like to know more.

Rodolfo & Mariana

Mariana and Rodolfo Aquino Cruz have been married 50 years. Mariana is a master dyer; she knows every dip and rise in the mountains around Santa Ana and in these mountains she collects the flowers, bark and lichen to dye the fantastically rich colors in their rugs. Rodolfo builds each piece of his looms by hand to create his precise and imaginative designs, both skills he learned from his father. He is also a great baker, farmer, and all around community member. Mariana makes the most delicious mole and perfect full moon tortillas from their own native corn. Rodolfo & Mariana’s four kids learned to weave but have left Santa Ana to work across the border in Los Angeles where they live with their children and grandchildren. Rodolfo & Mariana now spend 6 months of the year with their family in LA.

See rugs made by Rodolfo & Mariana

Alicia & Mario

Alicia Sanchez has a wild eye for color. She makes her color selections and lays them on her husband Mario’s loom. Mario then weaves the rugs that pop with her surprising color combinations. Mario learned to weave from his father and while Alicia learned to spin and dye she didn’t learn to weave until she met Mario, whose family believed that women should be able to weave as well as men. Alicia’s son is learning to weave in his spare time after working at his general store. Alicia & Mario have goats and lots of medicinal herbs and flowers in their garden. They do the majority of XyZ’s custom weavings.

See rugs by Alicia & Mario

Aaron & Macedonia

Macedonia Martinez is a gardener. She grows cochineal in her greenhouses. Cochineal, a tiny parasitic beetle that thrives on cactus, creates the vibrant reds, pinks, and purples that are so well known to Zapotec weaving. Her husband, Aaron, is inspired by the ancient caracol design. The caracol (snail) shape is found in archeological ruins near the village and is a traditional Zapotec rug pattern. His rugs play with this timeless pattern in new ways. Aaron has taught all four of his kids, both sons and daughters, to weave and they all carry on the work often weaving side by side at looms in their courtyard.

See Rugs by Aaron & Macedonia

Nemesio & Florencia

Nemesio Martinez and his wife, Florencia, make intricate, large rugs. Side by side at the loom, they weave their rugs in tandem, keeping perfect time with one another. They have started to teach Zapotec language and weaving to young children in their community and are teaching their son Isaak on a loom that is just his size. Check out our EDUCATE page to learn more about their work and how you can support. Nemesio and Florencia recently built a new larger loom to make even larger rugs. Nemesio also works as a pastor in Santa Ana.

See rugs by Nemesio & FLorencia

Care for your rug: Purchase a rug mat that is just smaller than your rug. To clean, shake your rug outside. If you wash it, do so by hand in cold water with little agitation and mild soap. Hang dry.

Care for your towel: Machine wash and dry. Towels are fresh off the loom and will shrink a little and soften up on the first wash.

All of our clothing should be hand washed and line dried.

We’d love to see photos of your textile in use! Send them our way.

Please be in touch with any questions.