ABOUT
AMATE is a social brand that promotes Mexican craftsmanship and culture in London, by sourcing, showcasing and selling genuine handcrafts and handmade clothing produced by Mexican artisans.
THE NAME AMATE comes from Mexican artisan paper made out of bark since pre-Hispanic times; its name derives from the Nahuatl āmatl, and was originally used to create codices. Today this paper is made in the states of Puebla, Veracruz and Hidalgo, and is mostly sold with beautiful Otomi hand drawings.
Amate can also mean "love yourself" in Spanish (ámate), which we feel also has a deep connection to our work, as we try to highlight, preserve and promote the importance of our culture's roots by sharing this loving passion with our customers.
WHAT WE DO We carefully curate artisan pieces that represent our beautiful culture, but that also highlight the wide diversity of invaluable heritage by the various indigenous people from around the country. By working directly with the artisans and local workshops, we make sure we know where each piece comes from and its back story, but most importantly that they are fair-trade. While most pieces are handcrafted using traditional techniques and designs, some artisans design their pieces with a more contemporary focus, which allows them to continue the natural evolution of the crafts.
OUR OBJECTIVES We aim to promote Mexican culture and craftsmanship abroad, but also to encourage conscious and sustainable purchasing habits, where we look for quality and longevity in our pieces. Giving credit to the artisans for their varied skills and cultural knowledge, each of our pieces reflects the maker, and the journey made to create such precious works. Sharing the background story of all our pieces is a fundamental aspect to AMATE’s mission.
OUR GOALS Ethical and sustainable consumption has been a key driver for AMATE, and our goal is to source well curated pieces from artisans, workshops and cooperatives that share our views. It is important to know that we are not only sourcing unique items, but that we value the artisans as much as their work. Craftsmanship doesn’t only involve talent, but also knowledge, experience and an incredibly hard working spirit, and it’s crucial that we share this with our customers.
We believe that going back to basics, where the small imperfections matter, is a great way to honour the beauty of craftsmanship.
OUR FOUNDER Originally from Mexico City, Inhara has lived in the UK for over seventeen years. Having visited many corners of Mexico's magical towns as a child, and travelled around the country as an adult too, Inhara realised how important it was to share Mexico's talent and beautiful hand crafts with the world.
Passionate about textiles and craftsmanship, she handpicks all our pieces to ensure not only their quality, but also that of the artisans' working conditions. By working closely with the people we source our pieces from, Inhara can guarantee that the work we do is beneficial to everyone involved in our trade.