The process of making a scarf is labor intensive. The rayon chenille is wound into skeins on a hand-powered machine, then hand-dyed with dyes imported from the US. The yarn is then warped onto a warping board. The scarf is then handwoven on a traditional backstrap loom, a process which often takes a full day of work.
Many scarves come with the plastic-covered paper attached to the tassels, with the name of the woman who warped the yarn. Many scarves also include a folded up piece of paper – a little surprise! – which gives the name of the weaver who wove your scarf!
Fabric care instructions available by clicking link on our home page. 8” x 68” with an additional 2-3” fringe on each end.
Rayon is made from cellulose (plant fiber), often lumber scraps. The rayon chenille yarn is imported from the United States, as chenille is not produced in Guatemala. The women weave in various fibers, and rayon chenille was added to their repertoire about 12 years ago so they could work in a fiber that is more marketable and of higher value in the North. Because chenille is a thicker yarn, it is less labor-intensive than weaving cotton when weaving on a backstrap loom.
