Can fashion actually exist without cultural appropriation? This is what Cho'Jac says
Cho’jac goes all in to collaborate ethically and horizontally with Maya communities from Chiapas.
At a time when global fashion is being forced to rethink its relationship with cultural appropriation, some brands are offering a different approach: one rooted in collaboration, transparency, and ethics. Cho’jac items is one of them. Their project, based on the traditional Tsotsil net-bag craft made from cactus fiber, redefines fashion as a space for co-creation and mutual respect.
In this interview, we dive into how the brand navigates the fine line between exploitation and collaboration, how it ensures that economic benefits go back to Tsotsil communities, and why fashion must be understood not only as aesthetics, but as a cultural and social exchange.
In a global context where cultural appropriation is increasingly debated, how does Cho’jac items define the line between inappropriate appropriation and genuine collaboration with Tsotsil communities?
Cho’jac avoids appropriation by maintaining ethical practices such as transparency, respecting cultural contexts, collaborating directly with Tsotsil communities, and ensuring fair compensation for their work.
Inclusion of Tsotsil Voices: We actively include our Tsotsil partners in design and creation. This ensures that their voices are heard, their rights are respected, and they remain central to any decisions about how their culture is represented.
Fair Compensation: Our artisans are compensated fairly for their work, and any revenue generated goes back into the community so that it benefits its members. This prevents exploitation and ensures collaboration remains mutually beneficial.
Cultural Sensitivity: When featuring traditional Tsotsil symbols, colors, or techniques, we work with the community to understand and explain their importance. Engaging in dialogue to clarify what can or cannot be used in designs is a key part of this process.
Education and Awareness: By offering free public workshops in braiding net-bags, we educate consumers about the origin of Cho’jac items, their cultural significance, and the artisans behind them. This fosters appreciation, reduces appropriation, and challenges stereotypes.
What concrete steps does the brand take to ensure that the communities it works with trust the project and feel represented?
We organize free community workshops in Chiapas on braiding and cultural education about the traditional net-bag technique.
We collaborate with the local NGO Impacto, which structures fair collaborations and knowledge-sharing.
We respect cultural intellectual property with formal commitments: Cho’jac is an active member of the Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative (CIPRI) and follows its Pact of Conduct.
Prices are set by the artisan families themselves, with equal pay for women and men.
We work under a co-creation model: preservation of craft for the long term, not extraction, adapting the design of the traditional bag while honoring its origin and technique.
We share visibility and context: Cho’jac produced the documentary Cho’jac – The Movie to present the craft within its own cultural framework.
We align with global sustainability networks such as New European Bauhaus, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and The Jena Declaration
