In Her Words: New Artisan Debut from Argentina
Dear Ibu Allies,
From the Gran Chaco region of northeast Argentina, where the Wichí Indians live in remote communities, Sandra Torbio left her home to study medicine in Corrientes. In the bustling city, she noticed a shift in the speed of everyday events and the disposable nature of consumables caught her attention. Although few things have the characteristic of being permanent in today's world, Sandra wanted to do something to slow down the waste as well as to help her community back home.
Sandra’s mother is a Wichí artisan who crochets handmade cloth with fiber extracted from the Chaguar plant. Aware of numerous artisans’ desire to sell their designs despite the hurdle of their remote villages, Sandra founded an online social enterprise called Wichilhenay, but access to technology in the villages proved too difficult. Determined, Sandra took design courses in addition to her medical studies, and with her mother in 2019 founded MAWO (inspired by her Mawolis ancestral heritage)—a business about design, apparel, and Wichí handcraft. Every month, Sandra's mother goes from community to community, searching for handwoven Chaguar cloth. These places are very difficult to access, and she never knows what she will find. Each handmade piece she acquires is one of a kind and is shipped back to Corrientes where it is crafted into skirts, tops, ruanas, and more.
MAWO designs found success in the US and Canada, and as the project grew Sandra realized she needed help to maintain a strong structure and oversight. She reached out to me because of my background in International Relations and my experience owning a children’s clothing brand, and connected with Facundo Leguizamon, a renowned lawyer from Corrientes. We decided to form a partnership. Sandra finished her MD, and together the three of us are running MAWO with the goals to give visibility to the Wichí culture, and increase awareness and value of the ancestral work of our women while providing a source of income for their skills.
In its essence, MAWO intertwines the values of the Wichí culture with the innovation of design and careful processes of modern production. We currently work with over 50 Wichí women. By purchasing from them regularly, we not only create a bond of commitment and an awareness of the importance of their work, but we also offer the world a unique and lasting product. Their ancestral techniques are 100% sustainable—converting plant fiber into thread and using natural dyes—thus creating an environmental impact. The challenge of not being able to order specific colors and patterns has become one of our pillars. Each box we receive is a surprise and each garment we make is unique and exclusive.
The Ibu Marketplace is a partner in raising awareness and helping us increase the income for women artisans and their families. As Ibu allies, when you value ancestral and artisan work like MAWO, you make an indelible mark on the world.
Gracias, Macarena Segui
Mawo Partner and Director of Design and Production
MAWO Partners Facundo Leguizamon, founder Sandra Torbio, and Macarena Segui.
