Communities we work with
supernaturae
is the culmination of years of research into alternative methods of production. Initially established as a clothing line, the brand has evolved into a multifaceted venture that combines a rural supply chain, immersive experiences, and textile workshops with a focus on natural textiles and local natural dyes. The present production process primarily takes place in Gujarat, India, and Oaxaca, Mexico.
India
Over the past 800 years, many nomadic and semi-nomadic groups have made the desert region of Kutch their home. We work with two of these communities - Sindhi Memon and Meghwal. They live in northwest India and Pakistan and are known for their embroidery – a reflection of their cosmogony. Every different technique – stitch, motifs, and patterns – represents the diversity within their people, their unique culture, and identity.
We collaborate with the organization Qasab, which has created a business model that provides sustainable livelihood opportunities for embroidery. They emphasize the distinct identity of each group of women so that it is recognized and valued. Qasab distributes a portion of its profits as dividends to its artisan members, reinvesting the rest for business growth, training of new artisans, and community development activities.
Mexico
The Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca includes the Sierra Juarez, the Sierra Mixe, and parts of the Chinantla and the Sierra Mazateca, which together form the central and southeastern part of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca. The early Zapotecs were sedentary, living in agricultural settlements, worshipping a pantheon of gods headed by the rain god Cocijo – represented by a fertility symbol combining the earth-jaguar and sky-serpent symbols common in Mesoamerican cultures.
We collaborate with Wen Do Sed – one of the only communities that work with silk. A Zapotec family-run enterprise, conformed by artists and masters of their craft, they work with and from natural cycles to produce. They also work directly with the raw material: silkworm cocoons.