Celso and his family are weavers who live in the village of Diaz Ordaz
which is near the much better known weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle.
Celso creates indigenous Zapotec designs using local wool and all natural
dyes. The browns come from pecan shells, the yellows from pomegranates, the
blues from the indigo plant, and the reds from the cochineal bug. The
cochineal bug is a mealy bug that infests the nopal cactus. Celso
cultivates his own special race of cochineal. Celso is willing to create custom designs to order, but he is a stickler for the use of natural dyes. His standard tapetes measure 32x57 inches and start at USD 60. He can make up to 60x100 on his home-made looms. He also produces table place mats strung together for cutting apart, although they also make beautiful wall hangings or drapes across the foot of a bed.