In late 2018 we procured 2 tons of freshly cut Pochote / Ceiba / Kapok seed pods to explore and research its use as a fiber. The Pochote tree is a native a species to Mexico and is particularly sacred within the Mayan culture. Souls of the deceased ascend to the heavens because the tree is at once connected to the underworld, heaven and earth.

This particular batch was harvested in the mountainous mezcal producing region of San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca, Mexico from five old-growth trees. The fiber is known to be resistant to mold and bacterial growth, traditionally used as a hypoallergenic stuffing for pillows and mattresses. It is short and silky, difficult to spin by hand on its own and generally requires that it be mixed with another fiber such as cotton to build its strength as a yarn. We worked with talented spinner / traditional healer (curandera), Sofia Vargas, in the mountains of the Sierra Sur Oaxaca, Mexico to create a workable and refined yarn hand spun on a Charka Wheel with regeneratively grown native Oaxacan cotton. In this process of exploration we joyously discovered that the seed pod’s outer shell works as a beautiful natural dye, giving jewel like tones of of dusty rose, lilac, mauve, deep purple, shades of grey and black.

We are working on creating a few extremely special items with the fiber and natural dyes which will be exhibited together in late 2022.