Oaxaca Artisanal Wool Textile Experience

Visit a local wool weaving collective and learn about traditional textiles from beginning to end from a local family in Teotitlan, Oaxaca

Itinerary for visiting the Wool Textile Weavers near Teotitlan del Valle

You will be picked up from your Oaxaca City hotel at 9:00 a.m. to get an early start at the weaving collective near the town of Teotitlan del Valle, which is internationally famous for its textiles.

We will visit one family in the farmland between Tlacolula and Teotitlan del Valle where their home and shop are located. The weaving home is approximately 45 minutes northeast of Oaxaca. We will learn their story and family history, along with how the textile collective was formed.

Upon arrival, you will receive a traditional Zapoteco welcome – the local indigenous group of this particular region. We will be spending the first half of the day learning about the process of how the sheep’s wool is turned into yarn, with hands-on practice and participation. You will also learn about how some of the natural dyes are made, and be able to help dye some of the yarn yourself!

From the natural dye ingredient selections to the fermentation to the dyeing itself – it is an ancestral practice that gets passed down from one generation to the next. You may be surprised at just how labour-intensive it is, to turn these basic (and sometimes unusual) ingredients into the beautiful colours and dyes you see in textiles all over Mexico!. We are sure you will find a newfound appreciation for this ancient tradition and the labour involved!

We will take a break to eat some snacks and try some local drinks, such as mezcal and tepache – a locally produced beverage made from fermented pineapple and raw sugar.

Now for the really fun part! You’ll get to see how all these ingredients get turned into the beautiful tapestries you see all over Mexico!

There will be a demonstration of how the looms work. You will even get a chance to help thread one of the looms in preparation for its use! After trying some of the loom work yourself, you are ready to make your own mini tapestry.

You will be able to choose your favourite colours of yarn and will be shown how to spool the yarn for the loom. Once you have all your colours selected and spooled, you will be taken to another loom and start creating your own mini-tapestry – a woven table coaster for your morning Cafe de Olla (a local coffee).

Once we’ve finished the weaving, you’ll have an opportunity to sit down for a traditional family meal together, with some food you’re almost guaranteed not to try anywhere else! You can chat more about your experience, and what you learned together with your host family, before departing ways.

This is most of a full-day experience where you will learn and appreciate the hard work of the weaving families and communities of Mexico. It will be a window into a normal day in these people’s lives and allow you to connect deeply by participating in their activities and connecting to the land they live off. The objective is that you can get a bond with the sacred practices of textile production – in the ways the weavers have bonded with this practice for generations.

Please note: There is not a Dress Code! You will be visiting a traditional family in the villages, so dressing respectfully is appreciated. You don’t need to dress to impress – you will be getting your hands dirty. It is recommended to bring modest, comfortable clothes, and that you don’t mind getting a bit dirty in. A more detailed list of suggested clothing attire can be found below.

What to bring to the Oaxaca Artisanal Textile Experience?

Though this could vary seasonally, this is the basic list of what we suggest you bring with you. Keep in mind, that your transport is private and secure, so you can leave some items in the vehicle when not needed:
– Jeans or long pants (this is most customary in Mexico, though shorts/dress are fine if you are most comfortable in that).
– Sneakers/comfortable shoes.
– Long sleeves or bug spray (there are mosquitos where we are going).
– Sunblock.
– Hat/cap.
– Covid Mask.
– Cash. The producers do not accept credit cards if you want to buy any textiles after your experience. There is no pressure to buy anything. Unlike other tour companies, the producers we work with will always get paid fairly for their time, regardless if you buy a textile or not.

What is included with the Oaxaca Artisanal Wool Textile Experience?

Your experience includes:
– information provided before your experience to educate you and properly prepare you
– a specially trained and licensed English-speaking guide who will facilitate your experience
– transportation during the tour (a private vehicle to and from Teotitlan)
– translations with your weaving host family
– meal (includes a meal at the end of the day. Alcoholic beverages are not included with the meals)
– Mezcal and Tepache samples (please drink responsibly, you are at someone’s home)
– a special small gift to take home with you

What is not included during your Wool Textile Experience?

– Travel Insurance (Compulsory)
– International flights
– Transportation (outside of the included itinerary)
– Accommodation in Oaxaca
– Alcoholic beverages (outside of the included mezcal tasting)
– Gratuities and tips
– Spending money if you wish to purchase additional textiles, souvenirs, or items.

Need a place to stay in Oaxaca?

We’ve made finding accommodation a little easier. Below, you’ll find an interactive map to help you compare hotels and short-term stays in and around Oaxaca City. Just plug in your travel dates and the number of guests, and explore your options. You’ll be able to see listings from trusted platforms like Booking.com, Hotels.com, VRBO, and others, complete with reviews, prices, and availability. We’ve also placed a marker on the map showing the center of Oaxaca City — the closer your stay is to that point, the closer you’ll be to many of the cultural experiences and historic sites Oaxaca has to offer.

Please double-check the currency displayed, as it may vary depending on your device settings or the website you’re viewing.

Supporting Local Projects with our TRiP Foundation

For every TRiP that you go on with WSE Travel, we will donate 2% of the total sales price to an environmental or community-based project in the country you’re visiting. We want to ensure that every guest we help, in turn, helps support and preserve the destination we’re experiencing together as a direct result. We live by an ethos to Travel Responsibly & Impact Positively (TRiP).

For more information on the projects supported by this experience, please visit our Mexico TRIP projects.

Cancellation & Rebooking Policy

All tours, services, and experiences booked through WSE Travel are bound to our Terms and Conditions, which were modeled after most other travel services such as flights, hotels, and other tour operators.

At Where Sidewalks End, your reservation is more than a transaction — it’s a direct contract with local professionals who rely on this work as a primary source of income. As such, we are obligated to honor the livelihoods of our local partners — including guides, Ajarns (masters), and drivers — who dedicate their time exclusively to your experience.

In many of the destinations where we operate, labor protections and fair wage commitments are upheld by local laws — and we are both ethically and contractually required to adhere to them. Once a booking is confirmed, the service providers committed to your experience are financially compensated for reserving their time — even in the event of cancellation. This ensures fair and dignified treatment for all involved in delivering your experience.

If You Need to Cancel or Reschedule

All bookings are subject to the following terms:

More than 14 Days’ Notice

Your payment will be placed into a Lifetime Deposit (Safety Deposit Box). This can be:

• Used for a future date
• Transferred to a friend or family member

Refunds are not available unless WSE Travel cancels your booking due to reasons beyond your control.

7–14 Days’ Notice

A 50% rebooking fee will apply. This helps offset the compensation obligations to your dedicated team of local guides and service providers, who have reserved their day exclusively for your private tour and may not be able to secure alternate work with us or others on short notice.

Less than 7 Days’ Notice

The full cost of the tour is retained to pay the locals contracted in full. As this is a private experience, your local team’s time is fully dedicated to your session. A new team will be hired for any future rebooking.

These policies are a compassionate extension of our official Terms & Conditions, designed to support both our guests and the ethical standards of responsible tourism.

Travel Insurance or Liability Waiver Required

Because life can be unpredictable — and because we are required to uphold our commitments to local partners — all guests must either:

• Provide proof of comprehensive travel insurance, or
• Sign a Liability Waiver Form at the start of their trip

We highly recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance — trusted by global travelers for its flexible, affordable coverage and very competitive rates.

Travel insurance can help protect you from financial losses related to:

• Illness
• Missed flights
• Emergency cancellations
• Non-refundable bookings

If you choose to travel without Travel Insurance, you will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver Form at the beginning of your trip. 

Thank You for Traveling Responsibly

We deeply appreciate your understanding and support of ethical tourism. Your booking directly sustains local communities and helps preserve cultural traditions in a meaningful and lasting way.

If you have any questions or need help rescheduling, please contact us — we’re always happy to assist.