"Mi Altar" - Personalized Top

Based in: México

Tsanda is known for embroidering stories into fabric and creating custom pieces that capture personal histories with care and artistry. This particular design arose from a desire to honor loved ones, especially for those who, for various reasons, cannot set up their own Día de Muertos altar. The 'Mi Altar' top was born from a deep wish to feel close to those who have passed, carrying their memory with the same reverence as an altar.

Entrusted to the skilled hands of artisan Maria Estela Peña Villagomez and her family in Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, each piece is handmade with profound respect for both the holiday and the loved one it commemorates. Every top can be uniquely personalized with elements such as a photo, favorite foods, or drinks, transforming the garment into a quiet, heartfelt tribute that keeps their memory close.

Only 20 pieces are available! This limited edition will close for orders soon, ensuring each garment remains as unique and personal as the memory it honors.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a pre-order item and will ship July 2025!

• Made in: Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán
• Color: Black
• Material: Cotton
• Production Time: 4-6 weeks
• Embroidery: Hand-stitched using the intricate fill stitch technique, adding texture and depth to the design.
• Technique: pedal loom & hand embroidery
  
• Specification: Natural cotton crop top is woven on a traditional pedal loom, hand-dyed and features personalized hand-embroidery
• Care Instructions: Your garment took weeks of work to be ready and went through many hands, so it must be treated with great respect. It is recommended to wash item by hand, preferably with gentle soap, air dry in the shade away from the sun, and never use the dryer. Finally, we remind you that these are garments to wear with great pride; that is the best way to honor the artisan hands involved.

• PLEASE NOTE: After placing your order, we will contact you via email to request photos of your loved one and any special items you’d like featured on your top. This ensures your piece is a personal reflection of your story.

This top is inspired by the altars of Día de Muertos, a sacred observance deeply embedded in Mexican culture and rooted in Indigenous traditions. Celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, this time-honored event is not about mourning death, but about honoring life. Families gather to remember and celebrate their loved ones who have passed, recognizing that death is not the end, but a continuation of the soul’s journey.

Central to the observance are ofrendas (altars), which are lovingly adorned with photos, favorite foods, drinks, and mementos of the deceased, as well as cempasúchil flowers and candles to guide their spirits back to the living world. It is believed that during these days, the boundary between life and death dissolves, allowing souls to return and be reunited with their families, if only for a brief, but beautiful, moment.

In Michoacán, Noche de Ánimas (Night of the Souls) holds particular reverence. On the evening of November 1st, families keep vigil in cemeteries, lighting candles and sitting by the graves of their loved ones. The night is filled with quiet reflection, prayer, and a profound sense of connection to those who have passed. 

This observance carries a profound understanding of life, death, and the bonds that transcend both. It is a time of remembrance, but also of joy and celebration—honoring the continued presence of those who have shaped our lives, even in their physical absence. For those who participate, Día de Muertos and Noche de Ánimas are moments of sacred intimacy, a celebration of legacy, love, and the enduring power of memory.

The creation of the "Mi Altar" Top is a labor of love, involving meticulous craftsmanship and time-honored techniques. The process begins with one full week of weaving the fabric on a traditional pedal loom. This ancient technique requires skill and precision, as the loom is operated entirely by foot, allowing artisans to create tightly woven, durable fabric while maintaining full control over the design.

Once the fabric is woven, it undergoes a hand-dyeing process using natural dyes. This process, which typically takes five days, can extend to twelve days in humid or wet weather, as natural pigments need time to set and dry properly. Each dye batch is unique, as the natural elements used—like flowers, plants, and minerals—lend their own character to the color.

After dyeing, artisans spend around fifteen days carefully hand-embroidering the fabric using the intricate fill stitch technique. This method allows them to create detailed, textured designs, ensuring that each stitch adds depth and dimension to the overall look. 

Finally, it takes four days to prepare the garment for finishing, ensuring that every detail is perfect and ready to wear.

Altogether, the production of each top is a time-intensive process, resulting in a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted piece that honors both tradition and artistry.

Every year in Uruapan, the Feria Artesanal serves as a cornerstone for Michoacán's artisan community, traditionally providing the main source of income for local artisans. However, in 2020, the global pandemic forced the cancellation of this vital event, leaving artisans without a platform to showcase or sell their crafts. It was in response to this challenge that Tsanda was born.

Launched as a non-profit initiative, Tsanda emerged with the mission of supporting artisan families by promoting and selling their handcrafted textiles through social networks. What began as a grassroots effort to restore lost income quickly gained momentum. By September of the same year, the overwhelming support for the project led to the official founding of Tsanda as a brand, with the goal of sharing a piece of Michoacán's rich artisan heritage with the world.

Today, Tsanda has evolved into more than just a marketplace for handmade textiles—it has become a driving force of inspiration, preservation, and respect for Purépecha culture. The project has not only provided a stable source of work for artisans but also fostered economic independence for these families. Currently, 12 artisan families across seven different communities collaborate with Tsanda, and the project continues to grow with a vision of incorporating even more families and integrating a diverse range of traditional textile techniques.

By empowering artisans and celebrating the cultural richness of Michoacán, Tsanda aims to take these extraordinary crafts to all corners of the world, allowing each piece to carry the story of its people and the traditions they cherish.

"Tsanda we are the daughters, mothers, and grandmothers of the Purépecha culture. We reflect our hereditary knowledge of many years of history with each thread and each stitch that we capture in our textiles.

With our embroideries, the light of the family tradition is kept alive; that is why each Tsanda piece is made to be worn with great pride. We feel a deep affection for our roots, the Purépecha culture, and the place where we grew up; Michoacán.

Being able to transmit this immense love in each garment is what makes our hearts beat stronger and stronger."