Chiapas artisans launch online store with support from the Tec

The new platform includes five cooperatives that produce handmade textiles and handicrafts using backstrap and treadle looms and aims to promote the community nationally and internationally.

By Susan Irais | CONECTA NATIONAL NEWS DESK - 10/31/2025 Photo Alejandro Salazar

Read time: 3 mins

Artisans have launched Chiapas Coopera, an online store that sells unique, customizable pieces made with traditional techniques such as backstrap and treadle looms.

The project was promoted by the Business Development Center of the Eugenio Garza Lagüera Institute of Entrepreneurship and the Center for Social Innovation (CIS) at Tec de Monterrey

It was officially launched on October 2, 2025, at the CIS facilities in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas.

“Our goal is to promote cooperatives with digital stores that allow them to sell their products outside of Chiapas,” said Jessica Sánchez, Digital Cooperatives Coordinator at the IEEGL Business Development Center.

artesanias-chiapanecas-online — *Some of the products available on the Chiapas Coopera website. Photo: Alejandro Salazar*

Chiapas Coopera, an online store

The digital cooperative or online store includes five organizations from the region (Semillero 259, Sluch Metik, Jolob, Tesoros de mi Pueblo, and Tejiendo mi Historia).

What can you find on the page?

Textiles and clothing: guayaberas, blouses, shirts, dresses, wraps, sweatshirts, and T-shirts.

Accessories and home: bags, backpacks, notebooks, pillows, and more.

Customization for institutions and companies (e.g., embroidery and applications with graphic identity).

All items are handmade on backstrap and treadle looms, preserving the area’s designs and cultural roots.

chiapas coopera tienda online — *Chiapas Coopera website screenshot*

Promotion and professionalization

The support of the Eugenio Garza Lagüera Institute of Entrepreneurship (IEEGL) and the Center for Social Innovation (CIS) was key in helping Chiapas Coopera make the leap from the local market to the digital environment.

Over the course of a process that lasted almost a year (from November 2024 to October 2, 2025), the teams worked alongside groups of artisans on issues such as legal formalization, branding strategies, digitization, product photography, inventory management, payment methods, and shipping logistics.

In addition, they received training in e-commerce, storytelling, and customer service, with the aim of strengthening their business skills and raising awareness of the story behind each piece and its creator.

“These pieces represent hours of craftsmanship; we invite people to recognize their value and the social impact of each purchase,” explained Sánchez.

lanzamiento de la página — *The official launch of the website at the Center for Social Innovation (CIS), Chiapas. / Photo: Courtesy of the participants*

Following its launch, the store recorded its first domestic sales within the first month and began to establish its position in the Tec ecosystem.

What’s more, the cooperative hopes to participate in entrepreneurship fairs and networking events with companies.

The cooperative aims to consolidate corporate partnerships and collaborations with educational institutions by the end of the year in order to diversify its distribution channels and expand its presence outside the state.

“More than just a store, Chiapas Coopera is a platform for collective learning: the communities learn about digital business, and we learn from their collaborative way of working.”