Indigo Trading
Indigo is integral to El Salvador's traditional handicrafts and is closely tied to local traditions. Pre-Columbian El Salvadorians used Indigo not only as a dye for clothing and ceramics, but also for medicine and religious ceremonies, believing that Jurquilite (indigo) had magical properties.
From colonial times, indigo products formed the base of the country's economy until the invention of artificial colouring meant the downfall of the country's indigo industry, which had been boomed for 300 years. Recent interest in organic and natural dyes has allowed small rural communities to sell indigo products on the global market, bringing economic development while preserving local traditions. Indigo Trading aims to help these artisans to produce their handicrafts in a way which will protect El Salvador's natural environment, by reviving organic indigo farming.
