Red Clay Spoon

Made by Women of the Red Clay in San Marcos Tlapazola, mexico

$12

You can still purchase the Red Clay Spoon, and it will ship when back in-stock.

Product Story

These spoons are made of natural red clay or barro rojo by a cooperative of women in San Marcos Tlapazola, Oaxaca, Mexico. They are handbuilt and fired in an outdoor kiln. Totally safe to go right in the oven too!

Traveling to design and work directly with our artisan partners is our favorite part of our jobs at MINNA. We are always scouring the local markets and meeting artisans to find handcrafted goods to bring directly to you.

Due to the nature of handcrafted goods, each spoon may differ slightly.

Product Details

approx. 4.5" x 1.5"
Recommended hand wash, oven safe
Naturally lead free
Sourced directly from artisans in Oaxaca, Mexico

Made by Women of the Red Clay in San Marcos Tlapazola, mexico

Macrina is infamous in Oaxaca and around the world for her incredible red clay work. In the 1980s, as industrialization crept in and slow-crafted, handmade pottery began to be replaced by cheaper materials and faster techniques, the younger generation of artisans decided to expand outside of the traditions of previous generations. The then 18-year-old Macrina Mateo began to travel outside the village to learn how to adapt their goods and practices to reach new markets interested in the history and distinct aesthetic of red clay. Today the village is thriving and the ‘Women of the Red Clay’ are known worldwide for their unique offerings.

About these artisans

In the small Zapotec village of San Marcos Tlapazola, women have been making pottery out of red clay gathered from high in the surrounding mountains for twenty generations. Using their hands (not a wheel) and tools such as pieces of smooth leather, corn cobs, and a deconstructed basketball as a pottery wheel, the women have traditionally made comales (flat griddles usually used to make tortillas) and cazuelas (fire and oven safe covered dishes for stews). We don’t design these products - they are purchased directly from the workshop and are their own designs.