In addition to the collective of artisans, there is a team of 12 people, 11 of them being from the community of San Sebastian Rio Hondo, who are responsible for managing all operations in addition to the artisanal textile production. There is no owner of the business and the structure is horizontal.
Angel Jonathan Vargas Garcia
Is from San Sebastian Rio Hondo. Before he started working for Khadi Oaxaca he was a High School student and worked in carpentry. Angel joined the team in 2020 because he liked the way the Khadi team worked. He also liked the atmosphere of the office and was especially interested to learn more about the local culture. He has had various roles within the company including general assistant, inventory control and, currently, administration and internal accounting. For Angel, the work at Khadi Oaxaca is aligned to his own values with regard to the environment, conservation of local culture and fair payment for participating staff and artisans.
Angel Ramirez Martinez
Is from San Sebastián Río Hondo and is in charge of the dying area. Previously he worked as a laborer in building construction and in farming. In 2017, he started working for Khadi Oaxaca as a weaver. He appreciates that he is well treated in the company, receives fair payment for his work and that everything is 100% natural. As a father, he says he likes working for the company because it is work that he can do with his hands at home which helps to cover household expenses.
Clara Velasquez Garcia
Is from San Sebastián Río Hondo. Before joining the team at Khadi Oaxaca, Clara was involved in wool craft. In 2012, she started to collaborate as an artisan spinning cotton thread and later she became involved in sewing garments. She is currently the coordinator of the spinning department. She facilitates the distribution of the cotton as well payment for the thread to the spinners. Clara is thankful for the opportunity to gain an additional income for the family as well as the opportunity to participate in a project that is focused on the environment and cultural conservation.
Daniela Cortes Ramirez
Is from San Sebastián Río Hondo. Up until 2020, when she joined the team as a general assistant, Daniela spun thread and sold it to Khadi Oaxaca. Daniela is glad for the opportunity to generate a stable income and to learn something new. She is also glad to be part of a group who is caring for the environment, promotes solidarity and supports fair payment for all workers.
Delia Paula Pascual Hernandez
Is from San Sebastián Río Hondo. Up until 2019, she worked winding thread for the weavers. Now, Delia is now in charge of patterns, cutting and the garment construction. She is also responsible for the development of new designs. She was interested in joining the team in order to have a stable income and to help her family. Delia is happy to be working for a company with values such as respect and care for the environment, support for local culture, fair pay for artisans and sustaining rural life in Oaxaca.
Dominga Nemecia Ramirez Ruiz
Is from San Sebastián Río Hondo and forms part of the original Khadi Oaxaca team. She started in 2010 with an interest in obtaining an income for her family. Her first roles were spinning, weaving, embroidery and sewing. Currently, Dominga is the coordinator of hand-joined and embroidered garments. She likes to be part of a project that does not harm the environment and that helps to ensure that we do not lose the traditions of the village.
Eliseo Ramírez Martínez (Cheo)
Is from San Sebastián Río Hondo. In 2008, he started working to create a source of employment for men and women in the community in order to conserve a culture that was almost extinct. Before becoming the general manager and the head of sales, he learned the skills of spinning, dying, weaving and administration. Now, 15 years later, Cheo continues with the same focus: maintain the culture of our ancestors and ensure fair payment to those who participate in the project.
Felipa Ramirez Vargas
Is from San Sebastian Rio Hondo. In addition to being a housewife, Felipa also knows how to make garments from wool. In 2008, inspired by the desire to keep alive the local culture of her ancestors and insure that artisans would be fairly paid for their work, she formed part of the original team. For her it was also important to obtain an income for her own family, given that traditionally women in the village only work at home. Her first job at Khadi Oaxaca was spinning cotton and now Felipa is the quality control manager. She monitors the garments as they come in, to ensure they meet the Khadi Oaxaca standard. She is also involved in designing and developing new products.
Filogonio Carlos Vargas Ramírez
Is also from San Sebastian Rio Hondo. Up until 2016, Carlos used to migrate to the USA for work. He started to work for Khadi Oaxaca in order to have a steady income so that he no longer needed to leave the village for work. His first role in Khadi Oaxaca was as a weaver. Now Carlos is the coordinator of weaving and in charge of paying the weavers for the fabric they produce. He is also in charge of general management of the artisan team including payroll. For Carlos, it is important that everything is made naturally by local artisans and that here at Khadi we are care for the environment and our water resources.
Marcela Martínez
Is from San Sebastian Rio Hondo. She is and always has been a housewife who tends to the family and the land. Ever since she was a child, she has crafted with wool, like her mother. Marcela started working at Khadi Oaxaca to earn an income for her family, as her role traditionally as a woman had meant she was limited to working at home. She began to spin and weave cotton on a traditional back-strap loom for Khadi Oaxaca in 2007. Now she is the coordinator of the wool production area: woolen thread and woolen garments. It is important to her that the project is focused on caring for the environment as well as ensuring that workers are paid fairly.
Margaret MacSems
Is originally from California, USA. She has lived in the state of Oaxaca since 2008 and in San Sebastian Rio Hondo since 2018. She joined the Khadi Oaxaca team in 2016, when the project started the transition to becoming a self-sustaining company. Within the team she is instrumental in administration, marketing and sustainable development. In addition, Margaret coordinates the work between Khadi Oaxaca and the cotton producers on the coast. She is also administrator of One Foundation Oaxaca, which supports Khadi Oaxaca and Nu'u Ndito as well other local, community projects. She says it is an honor to be part of a project that contributes to strengthening sustainable campesino life and indigenous cultures.
Miguel Everardo Ramirez Vargas (Lalo)
Is from San Sebastian Rio Hondo. His experience is in carpentry and painting houses with earthen paint. He began work at Khadi Oaxaca as a weaver in 2018. The main motivation for Lalo to join the team was to earn a stable income to support his family. Currently he is the inventory manager. The factors that most appeal to Lalo about Khadi Oaxaca is the care and concern about the environment and conservation of local, village culture.