Native to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, henequen has been used by Mayan artisans since 1000 BCE. By the 1800s, Spanish conquest had industrialized its production completely, exploiting Maya knowledge and labor through haciendas (plantation estates).

Known as “green gold,” henequen made Mérida one of Mexico’s richest cities, supplying nearly 90% of the world’s rope.

However, in the mid-20th century, the rise of synthetic fibers collapsed the industry almost overnight. The wealth built on Maya labor gave way to abandoned haciendas and lasting generational scars. The ancient craft of henequen weaving began to fade—suffocated by centuries of exploitation and the rise of industrial materials.