Mayan Legacy makes Mexican Hammocks in Bastidores, a Bastidor consists of two vertical posts with two horizontal crossbars. The Bastidor is about 1.80 meters wide and 1.80 meters tall (Photo A and B). First the Bastidor is warped with cotton or nylon twine, during this process much of the twine used in the hammock is wrapped around the Bastidor. Next, the weaving process begins. The first thing that is created it is the crochet reinforcement seen on the edges of the hammock. This reinforcement helps the hammock bed to keep its shape. The next step is to interweave the yarn on the shuttles wrapped around the Bastidor. A good quality hammock has between 45 to 70 stitches this means that the hammock will shape to the body and will offer more resistance (Photo C and D). A Mexican Hammock it is like a very fine net, some business make this net too open, with less than 45 stitches spending less time on the manufacture process and using less material than  a good quality hammocks. A good quality hammock it is made with 45 to 70 stitches and more material in the bed to offer the same size as a hammock with less than 45 stitches and less material in the bed.

Photo A and B:

   

Photo C and D:

          

After the hammock bed has been woven it is time to attach the arms or hanging parts as they are sometimes called. Proper tension it is critical. It is very important that all the end strings are exactly the same length. In Mayan Legacy the weaver of the bed does not attaches the end strings. We use specialists to do the hanging parts. The woven beds are taken off the Bastidores and carefully saved until a quantity of hammocks are ready to be made. Then they are taken to the specialist to make the hanging parts (Photo E and F). One secret when making the hanging parts are what in Mayan the artisans call "El Tup” (A Mayan Word which means the edges of the hammock). A correct “Tup” brings support to the head when the hammock it is used diagonally making a very comfy hammock.

Photo E and F:

In the Mayan Culture, to weave hammocks is a tradition that has been passed from generation to generation. Women and Men know how to make them.

In these towns the men have their jobs fishing or taking care of the crops and the women are used to take care of their children. These women like making hammocks because IT is a job that they can do from their own homes. They can take care of their little children, cook and also weave  the hammock when they are watching their soap operas. Also they enjoy their job because they can go outside take the fresh air, chat with friends, watch tv; meanwhile they are making  the hammocks. the men help to make the hammocks sometimes too.

Mayan Legacy has chosen little towns that are far away from the city because the people who lives there don't have the job opportunities  like the people who live close to the city. We are a company who believes in Fair Trade, so pay fair to the artisans, this is a big reason why our beautiful people are very happy and as a result they make high quality hammocks, a combinations of the best Artisans in Yucatan, a Fair trade and a lot of personal contact with them makes the one of the highest quality Mexican Hammocks in the market