Text on black background reads: "EL MONTE IN EVERY THREAD CURATED BY OBRA".

Hidden in the heart of el monte santiagueño—in the remote parajes of Majada Sud and Monte Redondo—groups of women gather to weave not just textiles, but living expressions of memory, landscape, and identity.

Our Rugs

Ready To Ship

SENDERO #2
$730.00
SENDERO #1
$710.00
SHOP MORE
An elderly woman wearing a red long sleeve shirt, carrying a bundle of sticks on her back, and balancing a large orange cloth wrapped around her head, standing outdoors with trees in the background.

The Rug Journey

Across the rural roads of Santiago, road signs repeat like a quiet poem: Brea Pozo, Alto Pozo, Blanca Pozo. These names, all ending in pozo, mark parajes where water—scarce and vital—has shaped not just the land, but the rhythm of life. In this landscape, the monte santiagueño survives in a delicate, almost silent balance. And yet, it gives generously. As the Argentinian musician Peteco Carabajal writes:

“The Santiago bushland lives in a fragile state, and yet it gives flowers and herbs ‘full of remedy’, as the people say. Tusca, brea, jarilla—healing plants, flowers that cure.”

“El monte santiagueño vive en estado crítico y sin embargo da flores y hierbas ‘muy remedio’, según el hablar de la gente. Tusca, brea, jarilla, flores y hierbas que curan.”

Silhouette of a person sitting on a rock overlooking a sunrise or sunset at the beach, with waves and a distant horizon
Two large pots on a stove, one with shredded meat in a broth and the other with a red mixture, possibly beets or berries, being stirred.

Their craft begins long before the loom. It starts with the sheep, sheared by hand, their wool carefully spun using husosand ruecas into soft, strong thread. Each skein is then washed, twisted, and dyed using ingredients drawn directly from the monte: the grey tones of the Jume root, the golden hues of hollín, the warm terracotta of algorrobo resin mixed with orange dye. The colours of these pieces are never artificial—they’re rooted, organic, seasonal. Subtle shifts in tone reflect changes in harvest, weather, and soil. Every shade carries a story.

A black and white digital illustration of a person wearing a hat and coat, with a background of various facial features and symbols.
Close-up of a person's hand gripping a wrapped rope, wearing a pink sweater, with a blurred outdoor background.

The weaving itself is a slow, meditative process that follows techniques passed down through generations—held in memory, in gesture, in the rhythm of rural life. Using horizontal or circular looms, the teleras create intricate patterns that echo the forms and textures of the land—the bark of native trees, the dry grasses, the soft movement of wind over earth. Each product is one-of-a-kind, shaped not only by the artisan’s hands, but by the tempo of nature.

A white rabbit with black eyes sitting on a piece of cheese shaped like a wedge, on a yellow background.
A woman working on a woven basket or mat with a loom or frame, in a rustic setting.

Here, healing comes not only through the hands, but through the land itself. The women known as Huarmi Sachamanta—women of the monte—carry this knowledge as they weave: not only to preserve a craft, but to keep a way of living alive.

Black-and-white image of a cloudy sky with a bird flying.

This collection is part of a fair trade initiative and economía solidaria, ensuring that every artisan receives fair, dignified income for their time, skill, and creativity.

These textiles are more than beautiful objects—they’re tactile stories. When you bring one into your home, you honour not only the maker, but the monte, its memory, and its quiet resilience.

Obra Collective offers handcrafted rugs, homewares, furniture, and clothing made in Argentina. Discover unique artisan pieces, now available in Australia

A closer look at the artisans preserving ancestral techniques.

Filmed in Majada Sud, San Martín, Santiago del Estero, this video features the voices and work of teleras Emma Rodríguez, Norma Enríquez, and Norma Ramírez (modista), who share their connection to the land, memory, and thread.

This film was created as part of the third edition of “Los Patrimonios son Políticos: Textiles, Vida y Trama”, an event organized by the Secretaría de Patrimonio Cultural del Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación, held in Santiago del Estero on September 15–16, 2022. Interviews were conducted in March, May, and August of the same year.

Want to design your own custom rug?

LEARN MORE
Obra Collective offers handcrafted rugs, homewares, furniture, and clothing made in Argentina. Discover unique artisan pieces, now available in Australia