Fibers

Since ancient times, the Purépecha community of the Lake Pátzcuaro region in Michoacán has cultivated the tradition of weaving with chuspata, also known as tule—a perennial aquatic plant with tall, spiked stems that rise above the water’s surface.

With this natural fiber, they originally crafted mats, and over time, the skilled artisans of the lake region have expanded their creativity, using chuspata to make a wide variety of handcrafted objects.

Among the wide variety of objects crafted from palm, hat-making stands out as a prominent tradition. Each region where these hats are produced lends its own distinctive touch—reflected in variations of size, shape, and the specific type of palm used.