Olga Reiche - GUATEMALA
Olga Reiche, a Guatemalan of German and Queqchí descent, has spent more than thirty six years working with indigenous artisans of different regions of Guatemala on product development and marketing for their products. She also has been producing her own line of naturally dyed, recycled products, and teaching natural dyeing locally and internationally. Her concern for environmental and artisanal sustainability is a driving force. She is a self taught person in textiles and natural dyes, has a weaving, dyeing Studio and shop, “INDIGO” which functions as meeting point and as a source of planning and creation for many textile projects. With the knowledge of Indigenous Guatemalan culture and their textile traditions, which are very linked to them, Olga has been working on trying to preserve what is getting lost in the weaving tradition of Guatemala, looking for markets for these textiles in a way to keep that tradition active in the different Communities of Guatemala. Olga has been promoting and supporting Artisans all over Guatemala and is an authority in natural dyes in Guatemala.