The
Textiles of Mexico have a long history. The making of
fibers, cloth and other
textile goods has existed in the country since at least 1400 BCE. Fibers used during the pre-Hispanic period included those from the
yucca,
palm and
maguey plants as well as the use of
cotton in the hot lowlands of the south. After the
Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Spanish introduced new fibers such as
silk and
wool as well as the European foot treadle
loom. Clothing styles also changed radically. Fabric was produced exclusively in workshops or in the home until the era of
Porfirio Díaz (1880s to 1910), when the mechanization of
weaving was introduced, mostly by the French. Today, fabric, clothes and other textiles are both made by craftsmen and in factories. Handcrafted goods include pre-Hispanic clothing such as
huipils and
sarapes, which are often
embroidered. Clothing,
rugs and more are made with natural and
naturally dyed fibers. Most handcrafts are produced by
indigenous people, whose communities are concentrated in the center and south of the country in states such as
Mexico State,
Oaxaca and
Chiapas. The textile industry remains important to the economy of Mexico although it has suffered setback due to competition by cheaper goods produced in countries such as
China,
India and
Vietnam.