Current Model:

Credit in Argentina is prohibitively expensive, and difficult to come by. To date, Mujeres Artesanas has been able to begin producing by receiving materials (specialty yarns, thread, etc.) from the clients themselves, with the members of the cooperative working from their homes - a model they would like to change. In addition to being able to offer their own repertoire of materials, Mujeres Artesanas is also in the preliminary stages of developing their own work/meeting space at Villa 31, a project that will require an initial capital investment.

In theory, the cooperative supports itself by using 5 percent of the payments that are received from clients to cover operating costs. The rest is distributed among the cooperative, determined by the number of pieces each person completes. To date, funds received have not been enough to sustain monthly expenses. Mujeres Artesanas is working hard to increase their export clients and plans to initiate applications to grant-making institutions to achieve their goals.

Capital Needs:

• $7,500 USD to develop a work/meeting space
• $1,500 USD/month in operating expenses

• Continued self-sufficiency
• Work/Meeting space development
• Expanded training
• Expansion into other textiles (cotton dresses, etc.)
• Material stock (yarn, needles, thread, etc)

Get Involved:

• If you are a buyer for a socially conscious business and would like to inquire about importing handmade sweaters from Mujeres Artesanas, please send an email to: emma@villa31.org.
• Sample pieces are available for shipping, at cost.
• Customer service is available in English, Spanish, & Portuguese.

Yamile Curi, Alejandra Usandivaras, and Alejandra Polito, are clients of the Cooperative of Women Artisans of Villa 31. The three are partners in the children’s line Trupa, available in high-end stores across Buenos Aires.

Yamile Curi discusses the process:

“We bring the materials, the designs, and the measurements, and the women from the cooperative make the pieces we request…We liked how they worked very much and immediately found a sense of confidence in them. These are people who need to work and they make an extraordinary effort. We pay them the same price we would pay in the regular market, in some cases we pay them a little more. But the idea isn’t to make a profit on the difference. It’s about creating a business we can all believe in. We know they are hard workers and they are taking care of us. They fill an order, we grow as a business, and then we’re able to give them more work.” – Yamile Curi

For more information or to make a donation to Mujeres Artesanas, please contact: emma@villa31.org.