New Year’s letter from our co-founder Bernabela
When I walk into our workshop in the morning, the first thing I hear is laughter. It comes from the room and tables, where hands are already at work and beads slowly begin to take shape. For me, that sound means stability, trust, and work that supports life - not the other way around.
When I look back on this past year, what stands out most to me is not only what we have created, but what the work has made possible in the lives of the women and their families.
Many of the women in our workshop in Santiago Atitlán are mothers and daughters. Some care for their own families while also helping support generations around them. Over the past year, I’ve seen how working with Pura Utz has quietly changed everyday life for these women and their households. Some have even encouraged their mothers to join the workshop too - discovering skills they didn’t know they carried and creating additional income and security at home. Work has become something shared across generations, something that strengthens families, not something that pulls them apart.
The women often speak about how different this feels from informal beadwork in Guatemala. There, income usually disappears when demand slows, and women are left to sell their work themselves, often for very little, never knowing what the next month will bring. At Pura Utz, they experience continuity and reliable earnings. As one woman from our team said: “The biggest difference is being paid fairly for each piece - and knowing that our work is valued, not just sold.” That stability allows women to plan, to grow, and to look ahead. It changes how you move through the world as a woman and as a mother.
Flexibility has been just as important. Life does not pause because there is work to be done. Children need care. Families need attention. Responsibilities shift from day to day. The women know they can adjust their schedules when life requires it: to care for family, to honor responsibilities, or simply to rest. Being able to say “no” or “I need time” without fear creates peace of mind. It creates trust. And trust is the foundation of everything we build together.
This year also brought many moments of pride. Developing new designs and skills, and seeing Mayan beadwork, a tradition often undervalued locally, admired and loved internationally - reminded us how powerful craftsmanship can be when patience, skill, and belief come together. When visitors walk through our doors, the women are reminded that what they create with their hands carries meaning far beyond our walls. It continues to fill the workshop with confidence, joy, and a strong sense of belonging.
What I am most proud of, however, is the community. We come from different families, backgrounds, and traditions, yet there is laughter, shared meals, and a feeling of unity that grows stronger every year. Even when language fails us, connection remains - through gestures, smiles, and the rhythm of working side by side.
This work is not only income.
It is confidence.
It is pride.
It is a future women can plan for.
For those of you reading this from far away (we will keep saying it, because it sure is true): Your support is not abstract. When you choose a Pura Utz piece, you support women building stable lives for themselves and their families - and a craft and tradition carried forward with respect and dignity.
As I look toward the future, what gives me the greatest hope is knowing that Pura Utz is deeply loved in a world where handmade work is too often overlooked. What we have built this year may not show its full impact yet, but the foundation is there. And from that foundation, hope continues to grow.
I cannot wait to see what the next year will bring. We carry so many dreams, and we will continue strengthening our work, with care, responsibility, and impact at its core.
Con amor,
Bernabela