Between the areas of Pichiquillaipe and Caleta La Arena in rural Puerto Montt, and Nueva Braunau in Puerto Varas, the manila collection territory is a place where collecting is an act of respect. Collecting and treasuring the raw material that will become a piece of fine craftsmanship, handmade with care and dedication, also implies paying attention and respect to each leaf and each plant that is chosen. Considering at least one year of growth between each harvesting process, it is presented as a work that follows a sustainable pruning process.
The preparation of the manila fiber is the first step in the weaving process. This begins after harvesting, when the fiber is first of all defibrated, i.e. balls of manila strands are assembled and left to dry naturally. In this process, which can take between one to two weeks depending on weather conditions and the time of year, the fiber changes its color. Once it reaches a brownish/brownish shade, it is ready to be handled.
Once the fiber is dry, it is soaked in water to begin the weaving process. Weaving is an ancient human act; it is essentially the braiding of a fiber to create a surface, using nothing more than a needle and the hands. In the process of weaving manila, manual movements generate the matrix for the volumes of the basketry pieces, so it is possible to think that the only other tool used in this work is the hand of the artisan who carries out this work.