Fashion that keeps tradition alive

There is no state in Mexico where agave is not grown. You could say that the agave is the traditional plant of Mexico. Passing through Mexico from the south to the north, the roads sometimes lead to huge, several hectares of agave fields. They look like great deserts where only plants that don't need water can grow. In Europe, agave can be associated primarily with tequila, it is the main export product of agave. Although, contrary to appearances, it is not the most popular agave liquor in Mexico - mezcal is consumed here more, which is a kind of agave moonshine. In Mexico, however, the uses of agave are countless. Due to the nice shape of the leaves, they are also used as ornamental plants or fences. Among the products, the most popular are the already mentioned alcoholic beverages, sugar and agave syrup, which has recently become very popular also in Europe. Another is lubricants used in the production of machines. Recent research also allows it to be used in medicine in the form of syrups.
On our website you will find agave fiber bags . They are hand-woven in Mexico. It is a kind of unique product. Before plastic bags even appeared in Mexico, agave bags were the only ones . They were used to carry groceries, to transport items to the market. The men who worked in the fields carried their lunch and the items necessary for work in agave bags. Each man had one bag that served him all his life. When plastic appeared, weaving agave fiber bags was discontinued because it required too much time and labor. Creating one bag is a very time-consuming process. Cutting the agave, drying it, then preparing the leaves and making fibers from them was already too much work. Buying a plastic bag seemed easier. The tradition of making agave fiber bags slowly began to disappear. The younger men didn't want to learn how to make them.
It might seem that it is an ordinary braid, but there is something unusual about these bags. Imagine that the whole bag is only weaving , you will not find sewing in them. It owes its shape and elasticity only to the appropriate arrangement of fibers , which is really a secret . Currently in Mexico there are few people who know how to make such a bag. They are very hard to find in some states of Mexico. People who know how to make them do not want to share this secret with strangers, which is why the method of its preparation has always stayed among the families.
What causes that, despite the disappearing tradition, we can still find them at the fair? Fashion. Agave bags are 100% organic , only natural leather and agave fibers are used to create them, some are dyed, but the dyes used are also natural. Canadians and Americans coming to Mexico on vacation fell in love with these bags, following the need for more and more ecological products, they also promoted agave bags in their countries. Mr. Abraham, met at the market in Oaxaca, openly admits that, if not for this, the ability to make such a unique product would have been forgotten. It's the fashion in Canada and the United States that we can still find these bags, that even people here want to keep buying and wearing them, even though now it's not a cheap product. And certainly not as cheap as a plastic bag.
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